Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-03-17

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader back from the Hague by way of Istanbul. Statements upon arrival.

[02] The new Turkish cabinet under Erdogan was announced.

[03] Ilegal immigrants destined for Paphos ended up at occupied Rizokarpasso.

[04] Talat accuses Denktas of preventing the solution in Cyprus.

[05] Turkish Cypriots say that the Turkish side had committed a historical mistake in the Hague by rejecting UN proposal for referendum.

[06] Zorlu Tore, one of the founders of the party of the settlers resigned.

[07] The pseudoassembly withdrew a "law" against the possession of passports of the Cyprus Republic, after a suggestion of Serdar Denktas.

[08] More Turkish Cypriots to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

[09] Two cooperation agreements were signed between the so-called Eastern Mediterranean University and Milano Technical University of Italy and Portugal Technical University of Lisbon.

[10] Excavations of the occupied village at Vassili concluded.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] When to use the Cyprus trump card?

[12] Erdogan/s Cyprus policy shift and state policy.

[13] AFRIKA expresses the opinion that nothing will be the same after the Republic of Cyprus' accession to the EU.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader back from the Hague by way of Istanbul. Statements upon arrival

Mr Denktas made the following statement to the journalists at occupied Lefkoniko airport.

"I informed you prior to my departure that I was going to participate in a seminar. So, I had to delay my return to the island. You have been informed on the developments in the Hague. However, I have a few points to convey to you.

We insisted before we left for the Hague that many parts of the agreement, in other words the Annan plan, should be changed. We played an open hand because we sincerely wanted to reach an agreement. We always maintained the view that an agreement can be reached if the sides concerned agree that Cyprus is the homeland of two peoples, the partnership between the two peoples was undermined for the sake of ENOSIS [annexation of Cyprus to Greece], the Turkish Cypriots had to establish their own state because they were deprived of their partnership state, and a new partnership has to be established in the light of the realities. We were given a plan that turned all our convictions upside down.

Turkey's rights had to be safeguarded for the sake of protecting the rights of the Turkish Cypriots. In other words, Turkey's rights as a guarantor power and the balances between Turkey and Greece had to be maintained. That is an inalienable right and demand. However, all that was turned upside down in the Annan plan. Some of its paragraphs seemed like giving us something but what they gave were taken back a few pages later on. The plan is full of dangers. Regarding the question of military presence on the island, some of its paragraphs were skillfully and insidiously organized in favor of the Greek Cypriots. They called for the withdrawal of Turkey's tanks and other vehicles from the island and allowed the Greek Cypriot and Greek military units to retain their tanks and other military vehicles.

So, we visited the Hague determined to have the parts of the plan that made us uneasy changed. We informed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan accordingly. In fact, we conveyed our views to him in writing.

Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos insisted on changes to be effected in the plan in their favour. However, he was involved in a design. He said that he would withdraw his demand for changes if I agreed to do so as well. That was a proposal for the acceptance of the plan by the two sides in its present form. It was a design. Naturally, we disagreed.

The UN Secretary-General had a four-paragraph statement to make as soon as we arrived in the Hague. The third paragraph was related to guarantees. Papadopoulos objected to it. So, the UN Secretary-General had to hold talks with the representatives of the guarantor powers for 12 or 15 hours. He only had 20 hours to devote to the summit. Papadopoulos rejected all the formulas. What did he want? He wanted something that he knew was impossible. That was because his tactic was to obstruct an agreement. He asked for a decision by the Turkish Grand National Assembly [TGNA], which, he said, should be included in the agreement. He wanted the TGNA to guarantee the plan that we described as incomplete and called for changes in many of its provisions. Yes, he expected the TGNA to agree to guarantee the plan, regardless of the form it might take. That would satisfy him. Naturally, that was unacceptable.

That was the point where the talks ended. In an effort to facilitate the process, we submitted a written document that informed the UN Secretary-General that we were ready to discuss the changes demanded by the two sides until 28 March and then move to hold a referendum if we agree. However, our initiative was not accepted. We understood in the end that Lord Hanney, more so than UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, ended the process by deciding that nothing else could be done. I made a statement in Istanbul today to inform the sides concerned that we are ready to convey our proposals to Papadopoulos. I said that he should convey his proposals to us. A way out might be found if we can reach an agreement. However, according to the information I received from the media organs in Istanbul, the Greek Cypriot side is opposed to face-to-face talks. I do not understand why they fear direct talks. I believe that we can solve the problem through face-to-face talks because the Greek Cypriot side tried to achieve its objectives by hiding behind others until now. Consequently, we wasted time on artificial proposals made by other parties. We failed to achieve anything.

The question is very simple. Can the two partners establish a new partnership? If not, then we will all have to make an effort to improve our state. That is all I have to say.

Naturally, the Cyprus problem was debated during the seminar. Positive and legal points were raised. Turkish and foreign experts stressed several times that Turkey's policy on Cyprus is justified. As I said earlier, I found an opportunity to hold talks for two days with former commanders, diplomats, and old friends like former President Suleyman Demirel and former President Kenan Evren. I found that very useful."

[02] The new Turkish cabinet under Erdogan was announced

The new cabinet members are:

    Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister:   Abdullah Gul
    State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister:   Abdullatif Sener
    State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister:   Mehmet Ali Sahin
    State Ministers: Besir Atalay, Ali Babacan, Mehmet Aydin
    Justice Minister:   Cemil Cicek
    National Defense Minister:   Vecdi Gonul
    Interior Minister:   Abdulkadir Aksu
    Finance Minister:   Kemal Unakitan
    National Education Minister:   Huseyin Celik
    Minister of Public Works and Housing:   Zeki Ergezen
    Health Minister:   Recep Akdag
    Transportation Minister: Binali Yildirim
    Minister of Agriculture and Village Affairs:   Sami Guclu
    Minister of Labor and Social Security:   Murat Basesgioglu
    Industry and Trade Minister: Ali Coskun
    Minister of Energy and Natural Resources:   Hilmi Guler
    Culture Minister:   Erkan Mumcu
    Tourism Minister:   Guldal Aksit
    Forestry Minister:   Osman Pepe
    Environment Minister:   Kursat Tuzmen

The Council of Ministers set up under Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been presented to the Turkish Grand National Assembly Plenary Session. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the government program will be read tomorrow (18.03.03). According to the provisions of the Constitution, the deliberations on the program will take place on 21 March. The vote of confidence will be held on 23 March, one full day after the deliberations.

[03] Ilegal immigrants destined for Paphos ended up at occupied Rizokarpasso

The Syrian men looked anxious and explained that they were cheated by the captain of the boat who got money from them to carry them to Paphos, but instead abandoned them in the occupied areas, writes KIBRIS.

The paper also reports that the arrested Syrians will appear in a so-called court in Famagusta today.

[04] Talat accuses Denktas of preventing the solution in Cyprus

In a written statement issued yesterday, Mr Talat holds Mr Denktas "directly responsible" for the situation created regarding the Cyprus problem.

"Denktas himself has directly prevented the lasting solution to the Cyprus problem", notes Mr Talat adding that Mr Denktas "has not hesitated to through the Turkish Cypriots into the fire in the name of his own dreams".

"The main duty of the Turkish Cypriots will be burying soon into the history this corrupted and isolated from the world order and its creators", supports Mr Talat who referring to Mr Denktas' statements right after his arrival in the occupied areas on Friday, pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot leader began accusing everybody but himself for the collapse of the talks in the Hague.

Referring to the role of the so-called "prime minister" Dervis Eroglu in leading the talks into an impasse, Mr Talat said: "Eroglu too has been one of those who played the most negative role in this game. Going around the villages, Eroglu has tried to give some messages and prove that he, like Denktas, was not refraining from distorting the realities of the Annan plan, which it seemed that he had not understood".

Referring to the proposal made by Mr Denktas at the illegal Lefkoniko airport to President Papadopoulos regarding beginning again the talks as if nothing happened in the Hague, Mr Talat said: "While he had rejected the plan, he proposed once more to return to the beginning and discuss the principles, acting as if he is making fun of everybody. Without feeling sorry for the time and the efforts he had forced the international community to waste, he firstly for example prevented the work of the subcommittees and afterwards claimed that there were some deficiencies in the parts they had to prepare. However, in the Hague he rejected the proposal of the Secretary - General which was providing for encouraging these committees to work. He wasted the time, helped the unilateral accession of the Greek Cypriots and tried to prevent Turkey's way towards the EU. Now everybody is guilty and only he is innocent! .".

[05] Turkish Cypriots say that the Turkish side had committed a historical mistake in the Hague by rejecting UN proposal for referendum

The leaders of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP), Communal Liberation Party (CLP) and Renewal Progressive Party (RPP) have expressed the opinion that the so-called "government" "supports the status quo and not the people". The three parties argued that early "parliamentary elections" should be conducted. The "elections" in the occupied areas are planed to be conducted in December 2003.

Furthermore, KIBRIS (16.03.03) reports that the demand for resignation of the "government" in the occupied areas has also been set forward by Ozdil Nami, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Businessmen/s Association (ISAD) who said that the Turkish side had committed a "historical mistake" in the Hague by rejecting the UN proposal for conducting a referendum.

"This decision is a decision which will constitute an obstacle in the way of both the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey towards the EU", notes Mr Nami.

[06] Zorlu Tore, one of the founders of the party of the settlers resigned

In a written statement issued yesterday, Mr Tore accused the leadership of NJP of not pursuing the goals and the targets of the party and added that NJP "has lost its seriousness".

"Having even stronger relations with our Motherland Turkey I will start again the political struggle more actively", said Mr Tore.

[07] The pseudoassembly withdrew a "law" against the possession of passports of the Cyprus Republic, after a suggestion of Serdar Denktas

As the paper reports the action took place after a suggestion of Rauf Denktas/ son, Serdar Denktas, so-called vice president of the pseudoassembly and chairman of the Democratic Party (DP). According to the withdrawn draft law, it was a criminal offence for a Turkish Cypriot to posses a passport of the Cyprus Republic.

The issue was discussed on Friday without the participation of the Republican Turkish Party and the Communal Liberation Party, which boycott the works of the pseudoassembly after its failure to make a decision regarding the issue of the referendum for the UN Plan.

[08] More Turkish Cypriots to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights

According to the paper, the Turkish Cypriots will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights because the occupation regime violates their right of movement since it prevents them from crossing to the free areas and visiting their houses, properties and the graves of their ancestors, which are in the areas controlled by the Cyprus Republic. Moreover the Turkish Cypriots consider as a violation of their rights the fact that the puppet regime prevents them from participating in meetings and conferences that take place in the free areas and because the pseudostate prevents them from receiving education from the free areas, violating their right of learning.

The paper also writes that more than five thousand Turkish Cypriots have already appealed to the ECHR and refers to the case of Ahmet An by which Turkey was convicted to pay a twenty thousand EURO for damages because the puppet regime prevented him several times from crossing to the free areas. YENI DUZEN provides its readers with information regarding the ECHR, giving the address of the Court in Brussels and stressing that the main difficulty that the Turkish Cypriots will face is the fact that according to the ECHR/s laws, a person must firstly go through all legal proceeding in his country and then appeal to the ECHR.

[09] Two cooperation agreements were signed between the so-called Eastern Mediterranean University, the Milano Technical University of Italy and Portugal Technical University of Lisbon.

The newspaper reports that the "EMU" press release states that it plans to organize seminars in order for "EMU" and the puppet regime in occupied Cyprus to become known. The announcement states that a cooperation agreement was signed between the so-called rector of "EMU" Prof. Dr. Ozay Oral and the rector of Milano Technical University Prof. Giulio Ballio and that they will try to secure the support of the European Union through "Socrates" and "Erasmus" programmes.

As far as the second university is concerned, the press release states that a cooperation agreement was signed between the Architecture and Civil Engineering Department of Portugal Technical University of Lisbon and the Architecture Faculty of the "EMU". Their cooperation agreement contains, inter alia, a cooperation for MA and Doctoral degree programmes in the fields of research, part-time education, projects and symposia. The first joint event is going to be from 5-11 of April, at the "EMU".

[10] Excavations at the occupied village of Vassili concluded

The newspaper writes that the tomb consists of two rooms and that around 15 persons are estimated to have been buried in it. KIBRIS, also, states that they found objects made of glass, two gold jewellery, metal coins and two sarcophagus.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] When to use the Cyprus trump card?

Analysis by Yusuf Kanli:

Very much like what happened in Copenhagen during the European Union December 12-13 summit last year, Turkey preferred at the Hague meeting of the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas and new President Tassos Papadoupoulos, to take a head-on collision course with the European Union rather than to play the Cyprus card.

With the full blessing of the hardline establishment on the one hand and with his sudden unexpected U-turn the incoming Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on the other hand, Denktas insisted throughout the 16-hour-long the Hague talks that the Annan plan was fundamentally flawed, structural changes needed to be made in it, key demands of the Turkish Cypriot side, like recognition of the Turkish Cypriot state, were not met and eventually, as could be predicted easily, the process collapsed and the UN declared the "end of the road" for its Cyprus peacemaking efforts.

Papadopoulos did his part well in making sure the talks would collapse. Unlike the "No, but", approach of Denktas, however, he pursed a "yes, but." style, listed a set of conditions effectively making the Hague encounter impossible to end with a deal and thus skillfully escaped from being accused by the international community as the party that caused the collapse of the talks.

Furious at the frustration of its most sustained effort yet, the international community has leveled heavy criticism at Denktas. The UN, the EU, even the United States and Britain have all clearly labeled Denktas as the man who killed the talks. There could be no doubt about who was to blame for the failure of the UN/s efforts, and the last possible obstacle to the Greek Cypriot EU accession has now been brushed aside.

The Turkish Cypriot leader has been on record several times over the past many decades that he did not mind being labeled as "Mr Instransigent" because his prime concern was to get the best possible settlement for his people the fundamental elements of which ought to be recognition of Turkish Cypriot sovereignty, equality, continuation of Turkey/s effective guarantee and conformity with the bi-zonality and bi-communality principles.

In face of the growing international criticism of his stance in the Hague talks, Denktas did not constrain himself from commenting that he believed Annan/s withdrawal from the process would "positively influence negotiations". The remark, certainly, was grossly insulting to the UN Secretary-General who had spared time when a war is about to take place in Iraq, and indulged in an unprecedented heavy personal effort to help bring about a settlement to the almost four-decade old problem of power sharing between the two peoples of the tiny eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

The "TRNC" government may not care and "President" Denktas, acting with the notion that "those going are Turks, those coming are Turks, what/s the problem?" may tend the ignore the mounting emigration problem in northern Cyprus, but Ankara has already started to feel the heavy cost of the collapse of the Cyprus talks because of its failure in sufficiently prodding the Turkish Cypriot leader.

For some time, Turkish officials have not been hiding that the Cyprus issue was "somewhat figured out" in talks with the American officials in talks over a possible Iraq war, and that Turkey has asked US help for a Cyprus deal catering to the expectations of the Turkish Cypriot people and interests of Turkey. Indeed there were even speculations that the Americans have assured Turks there would be little price to pay for digging in on Cyprus.

If the Turkish government acts fast enough and legislates through Parliament the motion allowing American use of Turkish territory as a springboard in attacks on Iraq, it/s unlikely that Washington/s view of its closest regional ally will change in the short run. But, sooner or later, this war will be over, normality will be restored, and the Greek lobby in the US will again start playing a key role in American policy-making mechanism. After all, Washington must not be very happy with the ruling Justice and Development Party (JDP) government of Turkey dragging its feet for so may weeks, bargaining for more and more financial aid-like a legionnaire - before committing itself to any deal on Iraq.

Besides, there have already been reports from Washington that the Bush administration has started to seriously consider brushing aside the "Turkish option" in the Iraq war. In such an eventuality, consequences would be very dire for Turkey because it would lose both on the European and US fronts.

With or without its involvement in the war together with the US, Turkey has already been fast heading to a head-on clash with Europe. Even Turkish support for the US in the Iraq war won/t help Turkey to change the course in ties with Europe, derailed not only because of the Cyprus talks collapse, but with the closure of the People/s Democracy Party (HADEP) by the Costitutional Court this week.

The EU has already declared that if a settlement was not reached on the Eastern Mediterranean island by the end of the Greek Cypriot accession process in May 2004, Turkey would become a country occupying EU territory and under such conditions it would be impossible for the EU Commission to suggest at the end of 2004 to the European Council to open accession talks with Turkey even if all other conditions were met.

The ruling of the European Court on the sentence of separatist chieftain Abdullah Ocalan and European criticism of the People/s Democracy Party verdict were only the salt and pepper of the already strained ties.

Eventually, hopefully not before the war starts, Turkey will have to commit itself to support an American operation on Iraq, not just because of the financial help it would receive, but rather because of the dictate of its own security concerns regarding possible developments after the war in northern Iraq in particular and Iraq in general.

In April or so, Ankara will have to return its face to the European front once again. With the Iraq war hopefully over, northern Cyprus heading to an early election and Erdogan established his helm over the administration of the country, the time for using the Cyprus card could perhaps come, provided Ankara is still interested in joining the EU.

The problem is, what is the value of the Cyprus card for the EU? According to some Turks occupying decision-making posts in the bureaucracy, the Cyprus card could advance Turkey/s EU accession process. According to some diplomatic sources, however, the Cyprus card won/t earn Turkey any dividends on the EU course, and Turks must have learned their lesson from the December Copenhagen summit.

Using Cyprus as a trump card to get a firm date for the start of accession talks, if not a firm date for accession, has been a dream of many people at the Turkish Foreign Ministry for some time. But, probability and possibility are two different things and it is very likely that insistence on such a policy could end up with Turkey isolated, becoming an eternal candidate country.

Had Turkey realized the importance of the Hague rendezvous, had Erodgan realized that by making a U-turn on Cyprus he was indeed turning his back to becoming the new decision-maker of Ankara and that he now could only become a prime minister but not a government, Turkey would have earned a huge amount of goodwill in Europe that it would utilize when the decision making time on Turkey/ accession comes in December 2004.

Still, this is not the end of the road for Cyprus. If and when Erdogan establishes his helm on the administration of the country and if and when a change in the political landscape of Cyprus could be achieved either in scheduled December elections or at an earlier date if early polls could be held, a new exercise for a Cyprus settlement may start to blossom.

This time, hopefully, seeing the reality that the Cyprus problem is too complicated to be handled by the leaders of the two sides on the island, the three guarantor powers, Turkey, Britain and Greece - who have interests on the island-join in the process actively and bring about a settlement based on reconciliation.

[12] Erdogan/s Cyprus policy shift and state policy

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the parties in Cyprus failed to ensure a comprehensive settlement in the long-divided island last week. It was not long before statements on the collapse of the agreement came from the EU, "If by the May 2004 Greek Cypriot accession the Cyprus problem was not solved, Turkey would become a country occupying EU territory and its EU bid would be derailed", said the EU.

Nowadays, Turkey is not only facing a souring atmosphere with the EU, but also playing a dangerous game with the US. Statements from the EU coincided with the increasing tension between Turkey and its strategic ally the United States on the permission for deployment of US troops in Turkey for a possible invasion of Iraq.

Turkey/s ruling party leader Recept Tayyip Erdogan had made brave statements and criticisms against Turkey/s deep-rooted state policy on Cyprus giving hope to the ordinary Turkish people and many analysts for a solution. But his policy shift on the eve of the 16 hour meeting of the parties in the Hague astonished everyone, since he was not be able to do something that may affect the Cyprus process.

It seemed that some circles whispered the real policy - "state policy" - of Turkey in Erdogan/s ear just before the Hague meeting. We asked about this policy change to the analysts.

"I think he found an occasion to read the reports from the Turkish Foreign Ministry", said the Director of the Turkish Foundation for Economic and Social Studies (TESEV) an Istanbul based think-tank institution), said Ozdem Sanberk.

"There is not a policy shift, when we read the former statements of Erdogan we can explicitly see that it is the same as the statements from Rauf Denktas", said Hasan Unal from Bilkent University.

Unal added, "Consequently both Erdogan and Denktas are seeking a settlement that foresees two sovereign and equal states".

Mehmet Altan from Istanbul University said that the power balances inside Turkey changed after Parliament/s rejection of letting US troops in Turkey.

"The Turkish military again showed its influence on politics. Not only are we saying this but also foreign analysts are thinking like this", indicated Altan.

Unal said, "The EU is violating international law by taking Greek Cypriots to EU membership, and this also damages EU policies and the EU/s prestige. The EU is playing a very dangerous game".

Without a settlement Greek Cypriots will sign the Accession Treaty in April and would complete the accession process and become a fully-fledged member in May 2004.

Ankara also won a pledge last December that the EU would open entry negotiations without delay if a December 2004 summit agreed that it had met the political and economic criteria.

"They don/t want to accept Turkey to membership, they, especially the Germans encouraged the Greek Cypriots during the Cyprus negotiation process. In case of a membership of Greek Cypriots, they could say in December 2004, to Turkey that, `you invaded our soil and we are refusing your membership/", said Unal.

Turkey has been opposing the unilateral Greek Cypriot EU accession on grounds that such a development would be a gross violation of the 1960 founding agreements of Cyprus, which clearly state that the island cannot become in part or full a member of any economic, political or military grouping unless both Turkey and Greece were both members in the same organization.

"The Annan plan was not in favour of the Greek Cypriots, but who might know that Turkish state policy would shoot itself in its foot", said Altan.

Sanberk said, "There is still time for a settlement before 2004, a solution may be found within the scope of the Annan plan or other alternative plans", and added, "Annan/s deadlines were self-imposed deadlines, these were the deadlines of the EU enlargement process".

"I am not a pessimist", added Sanberk.

"I think `TRNC¨ will try for international recognition, and the problem will be solved with the recognition of two different states", said Unal and added, "But I think the government missed an opportunity, they may want the US/s support for the solution of the problem during the bargainings for deployment of US troops".

[13] AFRIKA expresses the opinion that nothing will be the same after the Republic of Cyprus' accession to the EU

The paper writes, inter alia, the following regarding the period after 16 April: ".It is not possible for Ankara and Denktas to continue their old despotism. Even if they do not recognize and exclude the Republic of Cyprus, they cannot do the same with the EU. With Cyprus/ accession to the EU the international law will lay its hand here, for the first time after 1974. Shortly you too are going to feel this. Those who oppress you now when you are citizen of the Republic of Cyprus, will not be able to do the same when you are citizens of the EU".

/SK

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