Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-03-27

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] TUSIAD Chairman: "We have to announce that we accept the Annan Plan as a Basis"

[02] The U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus called on the Turkish Cypriots not to lose their hope

[03] Turk-Is Critical of TUSIAD

[04] Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan will tomorrow attend the National Security Council meeting for the first time

[05] More than 5.000 people protest regarding the behaviour of the puppet regime at Elia village; Akinci blames Turkey for the situation in the occupied areas

[06] The so-called Council of Ministers of the puppet regime had a meeting yesterday in the presence of the illegal Turkish ambassador.

[07] The pseudopolice set free the six leaders of Turkish Cypriot trade unions and political parties who were arrested yesterday

[08] Various civilian organizations and political parties on the events that took place at Elia village

[09] The so-called Council of Ministers is distributing more Greek Cypriots properties

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] Turkish Cypriot columnist wonders what Turkey is guaranteeing in occupied Cyprus

[11] Sener Levent accuses the Turkish Cypriot opposition of trying not to blame Ankara for the situation in the occupied areas

[12] "The Status quo is the occupation and the TRNC"

[13] Article in Kibrisli newspaper views the developments in Iraq and its repercussions on the Cyprus problem

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] TUSIAD Chairman: "We have to announce that we accept the Annan Plan as a Basis"

Referring to foreign policy issues Ozilhan said that Turkey's foreign relations received heavy blows and this relation should be restored. He said: "Urgent, radical, creative and flexible attempts should be made regarding foreign policy issues .In the settlement of the Cyprus problem we have to declare that we accept the basis created by the Annan Plan. The Annan plan could give way to justified worries, but it is a reconciliation text and it is only natural that it will not meet all the demands. However, this plan is quite close to Turkish thesis and gives positive answers to the Turkish demands. In future we could be in a position of longing for this plan that we have rejected today.

In consultation with Greece identity of views should be reached regarding the holding a referendum on both sides. Athens and Ankara should conclude agreements on issues that interest them as two guarantor powers and parallel contacts should be carried out with Britain.

With the EU term president Greece's initiative EU's support for the Annan plan should be secured. Turkey should exert effort so that the Annan plan should be included in the Accession agreement that would be signed on 13 April 2003 in Athens. And Turkey, prior to accession on May 2004, should solve the Cyprus problem based on the Annan plan and secure Cyprus's entry in to the EU as a united island."

[02] The U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus called on the Turkish Cypriots not to lose their hope

The modern conference centre is situated in the building of the offices of the Turkish Cypriot Medical Union and it was completed with the contribution of UNOPS and UNDP.

In a speech during the ceremony, Mr Klosson is quoted by KIBRIS to have said the following:

"The Annan plan constituted a perfect peace ground for both sides.. My message to you is not to lose your hope. The United Nations and we as the USA will exert efforts so that this plan will not be forgotten."

[03] Turk - Is Critical of TUSIAD

In a written statement TURK-IS Chairman, Mr Kilic said that the Annan plan in its present form could not be an answer to the solution of the problem and could not be accepted.

"We want to know whether TUSIAD is the representative of the Turkish Businessmen or Kofi Annan," Kilic concluded.

[04] Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan will tomorrow attend the National Security Council meeting for the first time

The new Turkish Prime Minister, and leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will attend the NSC meeting for the first time.

The paper reports that the agenda of the meeting is heavy and it includes the military operation which started by the U.S.A. against Iraq and the possible repercussions on Turkey from developments in Northern Iraq.

[05] More than 5.000 people protest regarding the behaviour of the puppet regime at Elia village; Akinci blames Turkey for the situation in the occupied areas

According to KIBRIS, many Turkish Cypriot trade unions went on a general strike yesterday, while tomorrow at 18:30 in occupied Kyrenia a plebiscite will be conducted regarding the Annan plan.

Meanwhile, talking at the gathering yesterday Mustafa Akinci, former leader and "MP" of the Communal Liberation party (CLP), accused Turkey for the situation in the occupied areas of Cyprus and stressed that the struggle of the Turkish Cypriots should be against those who want the continuation of the status quo, the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas and the civilian and military bureaucracy in Turkey.

Mr Akinci said that Turkey and the occupation regime "have imprisoned the will of the Turkish Cypriots in the Hague" and taken away from them the right to conduct a referendum. Mr Aknici noted that at Elia village the regime has arrested the "symbol of the will of the people", as he described the ballot - box confiscated by the so-called "police", and six fighters for peace. However, he added, no one can stop the will of the Turkish Cypriots. Mr Akinci said, inter alia, the following:

".The members of the police are not responsible for this. .Even the directors of the Morphou police station could, to an extend, be considered unjustly treated. Why I am saying this? We have to see the realities and conduct our struggle accordingly. They are still continuing to have the police under the military authority saying that there is still a cease-fire situation and when there is a solution we shall put the police under civilian administration. The generals who come here from Turkey to command the Security Forces are those who give the orders today to the police. We should know this. .".

Mr Akinci noted that the Turkish Cypriots are not considered important in Cyprus and that the important thing for Turkey is to keep this piece of land under its control. Pointing out that the struggle should continue against those who want the continuation of the status quo, Rauf Denktas and the civilian and military bureaucracy in Turkey, Mr Akinci said that they must struggle not only by conducting rallies at the squares of the occupied areas and by showing their will during so-called "elections", but at the same time by appealing to international courts, because this is the only way for the Turkish Cypriots to ensure democratic elections and to gain their rights which are being violated by the puppet regime.

He concluded: "However, let us know that as long as they play in such a way with the structure of our population, as long as they distribute citizenships within half an hour in this country, it may not be easy for us to cope with the elections.Thousands of Turkish Cypriots must appeal to the European Court of Human Rights".

Meanwhile, addressing the participants, Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP), accused the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas of leading the Cyprus talks procedure into an impasse in the Hague, but he added that he could not prevent peace in Cyprus.

Furthermore, addressing the crowd Ferdi Sabit Soyer, general secretary of RTP, called on everybody to participate in the plebiscite tomorrow in Kyrenia and vote "yes" for the Annan plan.

[06] The so-called Council of Ministers of the puppet regime had a meeting yesterday in the presence of the illegal Turkish ambassador.

After the meeting the so-called spokesman of the puppet regime " Minister of Communication and Works", Mr Salil Miroglu, stated that the situation in the domestic front should end and that it should be replaced by love, peace and respect.

The paper reports that the economic measures which were decided concern the sector of Agriculture and they are estimated to cost 37.5 trillion TL.

Furthermore, BIRLIK newspaper, in its effort to justify the presence of the illegal Turkish ambassador in the meeting, writes that this was necessary because at this meeting economic issues were discussed.

[07] The pseudopolice set free the six leaders of Turkish Cypriot trade unions and political parties who were arrested yesterday

As the paper reports, Izzet Izcan, leader of the United Cyprus Party (UCP), Ahmet Barcin, chairman of Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Teachers' Trade Union (KTOEOS), Erdogan Sorakin, chairman of Turkish Cypriot Teachers' Trade Union (KTOS), Ali Gulle, chairman of the Federation of Revolutionary Workers ' Trade Unions (DEV-IS), Niyazi Duzgun, head of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) in the area of Morphou and Mehmet Bican, chairman of the Producers' Union of Elia were set free after they were indicted for trying to demolish the "state". The six men, who stayed under "custody" for sixteen hours, were also "filed charges" for setting together a secret alliance and for printing ballots for a referendum, something that according to the accusations, caused unrest among the Turkish Cypriots.

According to the paper, the six persons made statements regarding their arrest and accused the occupation regime for the way it handled the action that took place in Elia village.

Among them, Izzet Izcan, the leader of the UCP stated that the arrest was not legal and stressed that this kind of methods will not terrorize the Turkish Cypriots. "What they did yesterday was an action against the Turkish Cypriots and against the humanity. But they should know that this country is ours and that we will stay here till the end", he said. On his part, Erdogan Sorakin, chairman of KTOS said that there are no laws against the submission of a referendum and stressed that those who prevented the Turkish Cypriots from doing it, they violated the rights of the people. Ahmet Barcin, chairman of KTOEOS said that one day the wish of the Turkish Cypriots to determine their future would come true.

[08] Various civilian organizations and political parties on the events that took place at Elia village

AFRIKA reports that various organizations made statements accusing the pseudopolice for the way it handled the events at Elia village and for the arrest of six leaders of Turkish Cypriot trade unions and political parties. According to the paper, among other organizations, the Platform "Peace for Cyprus" stated that crimes continue to be committed against the Turkish Cypriots and accused the police for preventing the Turkish Cypriots to submit a symbolic referendum at Elia village, which it would show the will of the Turkish Cypriots. The Platform "This Country is ours", stated that the assaults against those who want solution in Cyprus have increased. It also stated that the Turkish Cypriots have been protesting in favor of solution and EU accession for 4 months and stressed that the actions of the deep state in Turkey and their cooperators in Cyprus, to prevent the Turkish Cypriots from doing these actions are fascistic. Moreover the youth branch of the United Cyprus Party (UCP) stated that for one more time the civilian and army bureaucracy were displayed in front of the Turkish Cypriots who expressed their will for solution and EU accession.

Under the title "They applaud the blocking by the /police/ of the events taking place in Elia", KIBRIS publishes statements of some organizations and political parties which supported the behavior of the police. According to the paper Erhan Arikli, General Secretary of the Nationalist Justice Party (NJP) stated that the events which took place had a provocative aim and said that some persons tried to create an environment of terror and anarchy. On his part Taner Etkin, the general coordinator of the National People's Movement, stated that the action in the village were provocative and expressed support to the police actions against those who tried to harm the internal peace of the "state", as he said. On his part the National Solidarity Council thanked the general director of the pseudopolice for the calm and successful way it handled the events.

Moreover, as the paper reports, the so-called police of the puppet regime stated that it made a file about the "deputies" who participated in the events at Elia village and gave it to the pseudoassembly. It also stressed that only policemen participated in the events at Elia village and not members of the army.

[09] The so-called Council of Ministers is distributing more Greek Cypriots properties

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] Turkish Cypriot columnist wonders what Turkey is guaranteeing in occupied Cyprus

".Those, who by the use of the police force are trying to silence the participants in activities aiming at peace and the EU and accuse them of 'trying to destroy the TRNC', have entered into a very dangerous road. Not only the world, but also every single individual in this country know from whom the police in the 'TRNC' takes its orders. If these wrong attitudes continue, will the Turkish Cypriots not begin to ask (Turkey): 'You are the guarantor of whom?'

I hope that they will not force the Turkish Cypriots to ask this question. They will not be deceived by the advocates of the devil in Nicosia and commit mistakes, which are going to cut off the historical brotherly bonds".

[11] Sener Levent accuses the Turkish Cypriot opposition of trying not to blame Ankara for the situation in the occupied areas

"Our opposition is trying to be in the opposition by not having anything said against Ankara. Therefore, its job is difficult. Is it easy to cover up the crime Ankara is committing here? Is it easy to hide or ignore this? .Does everybody not know from where the police take its orders? For how long will the members of the Platform, the Vision and the Republican Turkish Party be able to control the situation without blaming Ankara? .

Mustafa Akinci shouted this out yesterday. Firstly the diagnosis should be done. Which diagnosis? For the source of the problem. .Our opposition insists on doing the wrong diagnosis and it knows it. It behaves as if the government here controls the situation, while the control is in the hands of Ankara. .

They are shouting, like they used to do before, that democracy is wounded. Which democracy? Is there a democracy here? How could something, which does not exist, be wounded?

They say that the action of the police is contrary to the legal order. Is there a legal order here to act contrary to? All these, they say, are contrary to the constitution. What constitution? Do you not know the 10th article of the constitution, which says that everything here is given under the command of the army? Are you not aware of this? .

Only Akinci says the truth. 'This is Ankara's job', he says. The responsible for this is not only the army, known as the deep state, but at the same time civilian bureaucracy .Talat and his team are trying to ignore this reality and drag the people to wrong places. This is the reason for our disappointment from the Hague. .".

[12] "The Status quo is the occupation and the TRNC"

"I was born and grew up at Elia Morphou. .The police forces surrounded my village. Under whose command is the police? Under the command of the Security Forces. Under whose command are the Security Forces and who is their commander? He is a Turkish general and they are under the command of Turkey's General Staff. The TRNC police is under the command of the generals of the state that keeps us under occupation. Those who have been ignoring these things until today came face to face with the sticks of the police at Elia. Could a democratic activity be organized in a place, which is under occupation? .

We have seen once more the ugly face of the occupation. Let us leave aside now the innocent slogans and activities. Let us put our hands around the throat of the regime. Our liberation depends on this. The status quo is the occupation, it is the 'TRNC'. .".

[04] Article in Kibrisli newspaper views the developments in Iraq and its repercussions on the Cyprus problem

He says: "Because of Northern Iraq the policy followed by Turkey independent of the USA and the EU led to uncertainty in Turkey's relations with the EU and the USA. This uncertainty is fraught with dangers, but it could also have a positive outcome for Turkey.

One should not expect even the slightest progress in the Cyprus problem unless Turkey's relations with the EU and the USA get clear as regards Northern Iraq.

Under these conditions even if the bilateral talks resume it would be nothing but formality. Nothing would happen because of the Iraqi war. It is even possible that the postponement of the signing of the Accession Agreement in Athens on 16 April could be on the agenda.

The Greek Cypriots, who are worried that the Iraqi war might tilt the balance in favor of Turkey, are relaxed now in the face of the latest developments. However, it is not clear yet how the events would develop and what would be the role of Turkey in the region. It is highly possible that if not in the short-term, in the long-term the situation would be in favor of Turkey", Harman concludes.

EG/

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