Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-04-16

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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 Foreign Ministry assesses the latest UN decision on Cyprus without any reference to the Turkish occupation troops.

[02] Deniz Baykal calls on the EU to recognize the results of the illegal Turkish invasion and the violation of all the fundamental rights of the Greek and Turkish Cypriots for 29 years.

[03] Mr Rauf Denktas advises the Turkish Foreign Minister not to attend the signing ceremony of the enlargement of the EU.

[04] Delegations of Turkish Cypriot political parties met with Mr Tomas Weston.

[05] Mr Tomas Weston noted that the Annan plan should be harmonized with the EU laws.

[06] Talat criticizes PUM for celebrating the Republic of Cyprus' accession to the EU.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Columnist in Turkish paper says Turkey was preparing militarily for its illegal invasion of Cyprus for 10 years.

[08] Turkish Cypriot columnist criticizes the Turkish Media because they had not expressed their sorrow for the looting in Cyprus in 1974, as they did with the lootings in Iraq.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Foreign Ministry assesses the latest UN decision on Cyprus without any reference to the Turkish occupation troops

In the statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: ``The United Nations Security Council approved a new resolution at its meeting on April 14, 2003. The resolution no: 1475 is based on the report of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan about the direct talks process in Cyprus. Both the report and the resolution keep the Turkish Cypriot side responsible for the failure in the direct talks process. In fact, the attitudes of the two sides in a long negotiation process should be assessed under the light of facts and in a balanced way.``

Alleging that the direct talks process was started as a result of initiatives of Rauf Denktas and that the Turkish Cypriot side had attended the process actively and made productive contributions, the statement said: ``The leaders of both sides in Cyprus brought the changes they wanted made in the Annan plan prior to the meeting in the Hague.``

``When the report of United Nations Secretary-General Annan is assessed carefully, it will be seen that the Greek Cypriot leader said that he was not ready to sign the plan or to resort to a referendum about the plan, and he put forward some pre-conditions to do them,`` it said.

The statement further alleged that the Greek Cypriot side had not accepted the proposals of Denktas dated April 2 and 4 to overcome the existing crisis of confidence in the island and to accelerate the comprehensive solution efforts. Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriot side refused Denktas` statement that he was ready to negotiate the main problems. Therefore, we cannot accept the resolution's keeping only one side responsible.``

Noting that Turkey had been supporting the United Nations Secretary-General Annan`s efforts to find a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus question under his good offices mission, the statement added: ``Turkey wants to reach a political compromise and a comprehensive solution providing continuation of peace and existing guarantees in Cyprus, protecting the Turkish-Greek balance, recognizing equal status of the two sides and aiming to reach a political compromise and comprehensive solution to form a new partnership. Turkey will welcome contributions of United Nations Secretary-General Annan in the future.``

[02] Deniz Baykal calls on the EU to recognize the results of the illegal Turkish invasion and the violation of all the fundamental rights of the Greek and Turkish Cypriots for 29 years

Addressing the RPP parliamentary group meeting, Mr Baykal alleged that the accession of Cyprus to the EU is against the fundamental principles of the EU, adding: "The EU has granted extraordinary rights to south Cyprus and has committed a great injustice against the `TRNC'".

"Can this continued oppression of the `TRNC' because it has rejected the plan be accepted? How can this be explained? Which principles of our joint civilization are in line with this behaviour? Where does this exist? Does it exist in its human rights? Does it exist in the laws of the nations? Where does it exist? Do not be dragged into committing the mistake of depriving Turkey of its rights because it has not put sufficient pressure," said Mr Baykal.

[03] Mr Rauf Denktas advises the Turkish Foreign Minister not to attend the signing ceremony of the enlargement of the EU

In a statement during the visit, Denktas said that when the word Cyprus is mentioned in any corner of Anatolia, people both get excited and worry about its future, adding that he has come to furnish answers to these worries and explain the Cyprus problem to the people of Bursa.

He said: "It would have been preferable if esteemed Foreign Minister [Abdullah Gul] did not go [to the EU summit in Athens] at all, but, naturally, Turkey has its own calculations, and he has thus considered it appropriate to attend. I wish him the best. He would still be doing the right thing, however, if he were to walk out during the part [of the ceremony] involving the Greek Cypriots.

The important thing is what we can accept. The Annan plan has many shortcomings. It has many defects. It has many parts both sides want to change. Naturally, the Greek Cypriots want to amend it in their favor, which would render it far more unacceptable to us. As such, let us not waste our time on the Annan plan. Let us instead focus our attention on where, when, with whom, between whom, and how the talks might resume. This is an issue that must be discussed at diplomatic level. If we are successful at this, then the talks might resume somewhere at some point.

But, as I said, this time around the foundations and parameters must be well understood. We could not achieve anything even when both sides maintained a wide vision. There is a need to converge these visions. We will first discuss these and come to an agreement among us and then inform the other side about it. This ongoing [EU] process simply confirms the division of Cyprus. For, their policy of dragging us in their wake, their policy of dealing with us by taking us into the EU as a minority appended to the Greek Cypriots, has not impressed us. Their attempts to achieve something by creating division among our people have also failed. As such, the Cyprus talks will resume somewhere at some point. But this time around, we have to clearly table the indispensable parameters on which we insist, and we should not even consider talks for the sake of talks or for imparting further momentum to the Greek Cypriots. I will explain these things [in my lecture]. So long as the Turkish nation shows this excitement and interest on hearing the word Cyprus, there can be nothing to fear in Cyprus. Cyprus is Turkey's legitimate geopolitical concern, and the plot to hand over the island to the Greek Cypriots or Greece via the EU in disregard of Turkey is unacceptable. The UN General Secretariat wanted a [UN Security Council] decision portraying the Annan plan as an extremely just, attractive, and excellent document that meets all the needs of the sides. The Security Council, however, removed all these nice words from th e draft. It did not even make a call for the discussion of the Annan plan. It simply used a language that simply says the plan should be taken into consideration at the talks. These UN Security Council decisions are in the nature of recommendations anyway."

[04] Delegations of Turkish Cypriot political parties met with Mr Tomas Weston

In statements after meeting Mr Weston, Mr Suha Turkoz, general secretary of the National Unity Party (NUP), said that the efforts towards reaching a solution in Cyprus continue and added that he was hopeful on this issue. NUP 's secretary for foreign affairs, Ilker Nevzat argued that the Turkish Cypriots should be patient and act together and in cooperation with Turkey, because the Cyprus problem does not concern only the Turkish Cypriots. The interests of Turkey should not be ignored, he alleged.

Mr Atay Ahmet Rasid, Democratic party's responsible for the foreign policy, alleged that the risk of Cyprus' final division would be eliminated only if the international community recognized the authority of the Turkish Cypriots and ensured the balance between the sides on the island. Mr Ertugrul Hasipoglu, leader of the Renewal Progressive Party (RPP), said after meeting Mr Weston that a solution in Cyprus could be reached more easily in case the bi-zonality and the rights of the Turkish Cypriots in the constitution of the Republic of Cyprus were taken into consideration.

Mr Huseyin Angolemli, leader of the Communal Liberation Party (CLP), expressed the opinion that the rallies of the Turkish Cypriots had influenced the recent resolution of the UN Security Council for Cyprus and added that the Council left a door open for a solution, as his party had asked with a letter to the UN Secretary - General. Mr Angolemli noted that Mr Rauf Denktas has lost his credibility and added that the opportunity for a solution will exist until 1 May 2004.

Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP), reiterated his view that the negotiator of the Turkish side at the Cyprus talks should change and argued that this could only take place through elections.

Mr Weston met also with Ali Erel, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and a delegation of the platform "This Country is Ours".

[05] Mr Tomas Weston noted that the Annan plan should be harmonized with the EU laws

In an exclusive interview with illegal TAK news agency, Mr Weston pointed out that a different page would be opened in Cyprus and its political problem because of the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU.

According to KIBRIS, Mr Weston said, inter alia, the following on the issue: ".A new page is not opened in Cyprus. However, the Cyprus problem will be in a different situation, because Cyprus is going towards the EU. This means that the solution should be in harmony with the accession to the EU. .The Annan plan will be harmonized with the EU laws, because now Cyprus is to become a member. Therefore, I assume that as a result of negotiations on the basis of the Annan plan a little bit different page will be opened. It will not be a new page. It would be wrong to use this term. .".

Mr Weston said that they were disappointed with the collapse of the talks in the Hague, with the continuation of the division of the island and with the fact that today the "new Cyprus" is not the state to sign the accession treaty into the EU.

[06] Talat criticizes PUM for celebrating the Republic of Cyprus' accession to the EU

According to the paper, in an interview to SIM FM radio, Mr Talat described the people who will participate in the ceremony as "peshmergas", (Kurdish fighters). Mr Talat alleged that PUM would celebrate just like the Kurds did in Iraq, being on the American tanks.

[0B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Columnist in Turkish paper says Turkey was preparing militarily for its illegal invasion of Cyprus for 10 years

Mr Ozkan writes that Turkey has a rooted military structure and should maintain a strong and powerful army.

Referring to Cyprus, Mr Ozkan writes: "Turkey began to face problems related to Cyprus in the 1950's. It did not have the necessary ships, aircraft, or parachutes to deploy soldiers into the island, however. The Cyprus Operation was delayed because Turkey eliminated all kinds of deficiencies -- from assault boats to air support -- from 1963 to 1974. Suleyman Demirel and the term government allocated the necessary funds and purchased weapons for the army. These weapons enabled the army to launch the operation in 1974. Turkey did not have the necessary means during the Cyprus war, however. As a result, the tanks that should have been stationed along the Greek border in order to prevent a possible attack remained in Kirklareli and other cities due to fuel shortage. In other words, despite the preparations that had been made for the past 10 years, the war in Cyprus was waged with very limited means."

[08] Turkish Cypriot columnist criticizes the Turkish Media because they had not expressed their sorrow for the looting in Cyprus in 1974, as they did with the lootings in Iraq

"The speaker on Turkey's channels express their sorrow for the lootings during and after the war in Iraq!

In 1974 the plunderers had looted and plundered northern Cyprus in the same manner! Do the TV speakers in Turkey know anything about this looting? If they do, has this looting made them sad or plundering and looting becomes justified when the Turks plunder and when Greek property is plundered?

Technology had not been developed as today in 1974. The war and the lootings had not been broadcast live like today. However, the eyewitnesses of this looting and plundering are alive. The 1974 incidents are still fresh in the memory. The plundering, the looting was not conducted only by the local population. The vehicles and the belongings abandoned by the Greek Cypriots had been loaded on ferryboats and curried to Turkey!

I was settled in the house I am living now about one year after 1974. In spite of this, because the house is next to the closed region of Varosha, the pictures I was watching from the window of the house were the same like the looting in Iraq!

The logic of looting and plundering still prevails today in the northern part of Cyprus, is it not? Those who think that looting is their right, dare to say 'we are not giving back even an inch of land' and 'let us settle the issue of properties with global exchange'.

A war had taken place in 1974. As I had written in one of my previous articles there are no 'winners' and there is nothing 'unjust'. As a result of wars some people are unjustly treated while other secure unearned income.

America shed blood in Iraq. Does it mean that the land of Iraq now belongs to America? The Kurds shed blood for Kirkuk and Mosul. Does it mean that Mosul and Kirkuk belong to the Kurds now? What do you say about this Mr Altemur Kilic? Could the Kurds in northern Iraq establish a state, like the Turks did in northern Cyprus? Or do you say that the blood of the Kurds and the Americans is not as red and pure as the blood of the Turks?

As the time is appropriate, I would like to remind Turkey's Media the following: Had the looting and plundering of the Armenian and Greek properties in many cities of Turkey, and especially in Istanbul back in 1955, made you sad, just like you were sad for the looting in Iraq?"

/SK

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