Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-04-17

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[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Cypriots under the occupation of Turkey will be able to receive the Turkish citizenship easily.

[02]The Turkish Foreign Ministry is trying to give lectures on legitimacy to the EU and to distort the realities of the Turkish illegal invasion and occupation of the Republic of Cyprus.

[03] Statement by the Turkish Foreign Minister before leaving for the Athens EU Summit.

[04] Mr Rauf Denktas calls the Turkish invasion and occupation of the Republic of Cyprus a problem of the EU.

[05] How the Turkish Cypriot press covers the signing of the accession treaty to the EU by the Republic of Cyprus.

[06] The President of the European Council, Costas Simitis will meet Talat and Angolemli.

[07] Talat: Denktas' policy has gone bankrupt.

[08] PUM supporters celebrated the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU.

[09] The Wakf Administration is making efforts to prove that the closed area of Varosha belongs to the Turks.

[10] The so-called "police" has prevented the smuggling of 60 coins belonging to the Byzantine period.

[11] The puppet regime has decided to allow the trade with the free areas of Cyprus.

[12] Diplomatic sources say Ankara was promised that some things could be done by May 2004 to incorporate some basic Turkish demands in the Accession Treaty.

[13] The Chairman of the Turkish Bar Association says Turkey will recognize the Republic of Cyprus in December 2004

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[14] The Cyprus 'equation' is changed.

[15] Turkish Mainland press commentaries on Cyprus' signing of the Accession Treaty.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Cypriots under the occupation of Turkey will be able to receive the Turkish citizenship easily

[02] The Turkish Foreign Ministry is trying to give lectures on legitimacy to the EU and to distort the realities of the Turkish illegal invasion and occupation of the Republic of Cyprus

Recalling that the EU`s enlargement process would become definite after Accession Treaty is approved by the parliaments of the current members and new members till May 1, 2004, the statement said: "The 1959-60 agreements had founded the `Cyprus Partnership Republic` and granted the assignment of guarantorship to Turkey, Greece and Britain. However, since the 1960 partnership state had been collapsed by the Greek Cypriots by use of force in 1963, there has not been any political authority, government or parliament which has authority to represent the whole island. There are two separate states and two separate peoples which have equal status with two separate pluralist democratic structures and legal order formed by two peoples in Cyprus.``

The statement added:, ``As we had stated on the decisions taken in the EU Copenhagen Summit regarding with Cyprus, the EU does not have any right to take unilateral decisions on the future of Cyprus and create international obligations by violating international agreements.``

The statement said Turkey did not accept the Accession Treaty regarding full membership of Cyprus and the attached Protocol legally and politically.

The statement of the Turkish Foreign Ministry went on, ``These views and objections of Turkey were noted down by the statement of our minister in the Turkey-EU Associate Partnership Council meeting which was held in Luxembourg on April 15. Furthermore, those issues are being conveyed to EU member countries and EU Commission through diplomatic channels.``

The statement said Turkey wanted a political agreement to be reached towards the formation of a new partnership, which provides for continuation of the current guarantees in Cyprus, which protects Turkey-Greece balance, which accepts the equal status of the two sides in the island and which is based on compromise and supports the U.N. Secretary-General's efforts on this issue.

The statement concluded, ``We believe that EU`s including an international conflict, which is still on the agenda of the U.N. Security Council, in its body does not comply with supremacy of law and democratic legitimacy principles on which the EU depends and the fundamental approaches of the Union.``

[03] Statement by the Turkish Foreign Minister before leaving for the Athens EU Summit

"Today, the EU undertook its largest expansion move. Ten new members joined the Union. Cyprus is included among these 10 countries. As you know, we have certain objections to this. First, it is not right for a problematic country to join the EU. Second, there are international agreements that are still valid. Naturally, Turkey will continue to cover the distance on the road to the EU. The irreversible point is valid for both sides. The Greek Cypriot side cannot cast a shadow over Turkey's big project. In that respect, today's events have not ended everything. As it happens, the Greek Cypriots are joining the EU today, but the official accession will take place in one year, on 1 May 2004. During this time, negotiations will continue for a solution acceptable to both sides in Cyprus. All the sides, the United Nations, the EU, and everyone else, support the continuation of these negotiations. During this time, Turkey, in its part, will continue to exert efforts for an acceptable solution. That is all I have to say."

[04] Mr Rauf Denktas calls the Turkish invasion and occupation of the Republic of Cyprus a problem of the EU

Denktas, who spent the day in Istanbul following the meetings he attended in Bursa, said that the Turkish Cypriots never pursued a policy on the Cyprus issue without Turkey.

He said: "Turkey also has a cause in Cyprus, a cause affirmed through the 1960 agreements. This cause consists of Turkey's status as guarantor, of protecting the Turkish-Greek balance, of preventing enosis, of not allowing the Turkish Cypriots to be ruled by the Greek Cypriots, and of Cyprus' geopolitical position. Therefore, we never pursued a policy without Turkey, we cannot do this, and it would not be right for us to do so. A common policy was pursued through mutual discussions and agreement.

The question is that the EU is taking a problem upon itself. The Greek Cypriots will continue to defend the Cyprus issue as a problem within the EU, and to provoke everyone. Therefore, the EU must diagnose the Cyprus issue, and tell the Greek Cypriots that they cannot take the whole of Cyprus and they are not the legitimate government of the Turkish Cypriots. The EU must treat us equally. I believe that at this stage, if we play our cards right, we can attain this, so long as we support each other."

[05] How the Turkish Cypriot press covers the signing of the Accession Treaty to the EU by the Republic of Cyprus

KIBRIS under the banner front-page title ".And the Greek Cypriots signed", publishes the picture of the European heads of states and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, noting "we also could be on this picture".

Referring to the statement usually made by the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas and his supporters that something which is taken with blood could not be given away on the negotiating table, AFRIKA uses the following front - page banner title "It has been taken with blood and gone away on the table". Above this title the paper points out that the whole of Cyprus has become European territory.

YENI CIZGI in its title refers to the statement of the so-called "council of ministers" of the puppet regime, which alleged that the Accession Treaty to the EU is contrary to international agreements.

YENI DUZEN under the front-page banner title "We have remained alone" publishes the picture of President Papadopoulos signing the Republic of Cyprus' Accession Treaty to the EU. According to the paper, President Papadopoulos when he signed the treaty thought "thank you Denktas".

Under the title "Cyprus acceded to the EU and the fanaticism policy has gone bankrupt", ORTAM writes that Turkey's "policy of extremism" in Cyprus has gone bankrupt and adds that the Republic of Cyprus became a member of the EU. "Because of its bankrupted Cyprus policy Turkey, which has been dragged into the wake of Denktas who is known by the whole of the world for his intransigence, has suffered a defeat from which it is difficult to recover on its EU policy", notes ORTAM.

KIBRSLI, under the banner front-page title "New era!" supports that the Greek Cypriots and the supporters of the status quo are celebrating for the accession of the Republic of Cyprus into the EU. The paper publishes also the pictures of all the leaders of Turkey since 1974 and the picture of Mr Rauf Denktas, noting that the Turkish mainland "Radikal" newspaper, which had also published these pictures yesterday, criticized strongly the Turkish policy on Cyprus.

Under the title "16 April, the shame of the EU", VATAN publishes the picture of President Papadopoulos and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Iacovou signing the Accession Treaty.

HALKIN SESI publishes the same picture under the title "EU.Shame on you!" in Turkish and English.

On its front page, VOLKAN publishes statements by Mr Rauf Denktas who alleged that the occupied area of Cyprus is not a part of Cyprus which the Europeans recognize. On its front page, BIRLIK publishes a written statement issued yesterday by the National Unity Party (NUP), which criticizes the EU.

[06] The President of the European Council, Costas Simitis will meet Talat and Angolemli

Mr Huseyin Angolemli, leader of the Communal Liberation Party and Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP), said yesterday that they had accepted the invitation.

Mr Angolemli noted that in case the so-called "ministry of foreign affairs" gave him permission he would go to the Greek Embassy in Nicosia to meet Mr Simitis.

Mr Talat said that he would participate in the meeting of Mr Simitis with the political party leaders, reminding that the Greek Prime Minister is at the same time the President of the European Council. "I think that no harm will be done if I participate in this meeting", he added.

[07] Talat: Denktas' policy has gone bankrupt

In statements during a march organized by his party to the monument of the Republic of Cyprus' first Vice President, Fazil Kucuk, Mr Talat argued the following: "What this policy has achieved is making the Greek Cypriots alone member of the EU without any problem. It has left the Turkish Cypriots outside and put Turkey face-to-face with big problems. Cyprus is now a wound on Turkey's EU accession course. .".

[08] PUM supporters celebrated the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU

[09] The Wakf Administration is making efforts to prove that the closed area of Varosha belongs to the Turks

Mr Dervis alleged that according to researches they had made in the archives of the title - deeds of the twentieth century, they established that the 100 % of the properties in Varosha belongs to the Wakf. Mr Dervis alleged the following: "Let no one think that because Varosha is closed it has no owner. Our researches to establish the title - deeds continue".

[10] The so-called "police" has prevented the smuggling of 60 coins belonging to the Byzantine period

[11] The puppet regime has decided to allow the trade with the free areas of Cyprus

In statements after a meeting of the "council", Salih Cosar, so-called "minister of finance", said that they are changing their "laws" on this issue and would lift all the banns on the trade of some products, which are produced in the occupied areas or imported there, so that they could be exported to the free areas.

Mr Cosar said that products from the free areas could be imported to the occupied areas in case the so-called "legal procedure is applied at the custom house". Mr Cosar expressed the opinion that with this decision the economy of the puppet regime will be improved.

[12] Diplomatic sources say Ankara was promised that some things could be done by May 2004 to incorporate some basic Turkish demands in the Accession Treaty

While the Greek Cypriot side started celebrating Wednesday the signing in Athens of an Accession Treaty between the eastern Mediterranean island and the European Union with a perspective of completion of the accession process by May 2004, the Turkish Cypriot side of the island was facing an uncertain future prone to even more difficulties than those experienced so far.

After the United Nations Security Council endorsed on April 14 a controversial Cyprus U.N. peace plan as the basis of a settlement on the island -- despite a categoric rejection by the Turkish Cypriot side and a qualified acceptance by the Greek Cypriot side -- the signing of the Accession Treaty has marked the start of a new era in Cyprus peace making.

Conditions of the game have all changed now and if the Turkey-Turkish Cypriot side doesn't act fast enough and good enough to have a Cyprus deal by the May 2004 completion of the EU accession of the island, a one last chance for a lasting and just settlement will also go down the drain.

With the Greek Cypriots signing the Accession Treaty, any future Cyprus settlement now need to conform with European laws. This means Turkish Cypriot positions on a bi-zonal and bi-communal settlement, confederation, political equality and partnership in executive organs, strong and semi-sovereign Turkish Cypriot partner state and such will all have to be toned down if a settlement is wanted.

International mediators, such as U.S. State Department Cyprus Coordinator Thomas Weston, have already acknowledged that the Annan plan, although endorsed by the Security Council as basis of any future Cyprus peace process, would have to be amended to conform with the EU criteria.

That is, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas and the conservative establishment in Ankara were unhappy with the Kofi Annan plan, but worse is in stock.

There could be a way out from this rather nasty situation, to catch the train somewhere from now and the final destination of May 2004 full membership of the island. According to some diplomatic sources who have proven their reliability to the TDN in the past, Ankara was promised by some top European leaders, and assured by Washington, that "some things could be done" to incorporate some basic demands of the Turkish Cypriot side in the attached protocol of the Accession Treaty.

That is, if a settlement on the island could be reached before the May 2004 completion of the accession process, a moratorium on population movements, property ownership, compensation, as well as the basic political criteria that Turkish Cypriots consider musts of a settlement, could be incorporated in the protocol and thus they could become part of the Accession Treaty, would be valid and applicable after May 2004. Otherwise, a settlement after May 2004 will have to conform with EU aegis and in such a settlement Turkish Cypriots would be asked "to join in" the EU-member Republic of Cyprus. Whereas, even the Accession Treaty was signed by Greek Cypriots not as the "government of the Republic of Cyprus" but as the "government of Cyprus" in a bid to keep the door open to an eventual settlement. Cyprus was the only of the ten states that did not use its official name in the Accession Treaty document.

In view of this, it would not be wrong to expect that there will be a strong push on Turkey, as well as northern Cyprus, by the EU, United States and the U.N. in the months ahead to strike a deal on Cyprus before May 2004.

It would not be wrong to expect in this period that Turkey's continued presence on Cyprus will become a major thorn in Turkish-EU relations, although the EU has no "sovereign status" and thus has no "geography of jurisdiction." In political terms, Ankara will come under accusations that it is a country "occupying" a part of EU territory.

From the date of completion of the Greek Cypriot accession in May 2004, apart from the need to receive the Greek nod, Ankara will also need the approval of the Greek Cypriot administration even for starting accession talks with the EU at the end of 2004.

Apart from all this, Greek Cypriot leadership on the one hand and the European Union on the other will intensify implementing social, economic and political programs aimed at reaching the Turkish Cypriot. With no sign in the horizon for an end to the economic blockade on northern Cyprus, dissent among Turkish Cypriots against the conservative government in northern Cyprus and Rauf Denktas, polarization of northern Cyprus population as "pro-settlement Turkish Cypriots" and "anti-settlement Turkish Cypriots plus mainland settlers" may land the north in an unmanageable situation.

The Turkish Parliament may soon legislate a draft approved by the judicial committee Tuesday and give the right to all Turkish Cypriots to acquire automatic Turkish citizenship. Would that help to calm down the dissent in northern Cyprus and prevent mass migration of Turkish Cypriots from the island? Particularly in view of the plans of the Greek Cypriot administration to issue Cyprus passports for every Turkish Cypriot who would apply, the passports issue will serve only to create further complexities on the island besides contradicting with the Turkish official position that it recognizes the "Turkish Republic of Northern" Cyprus as a state.

Although Mr Denktas decried as disgusting on Tuesday an invitation by Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis to leaders of the Turkish Cypriot political parties and acceptance of the invitation by the opposition, such contacts will intensify in the months ahead.

Not only will the socialist Nicosia's Turkish Cypriot Mayor Kutlay Erk distribute to schoolchildren books written by anti-Denktas writers or Turkish Cypriot "collaborators" living in southern Cyprus, but political agitation will increase by the leftist opposition ahead of the scheduled December parliamentary elections.

Furthermore, the majority of the Turkish Cypriots appear to have aligned now with the leftist opposition seeking a settlement, although the majority of them are conservatives. There are talks as well that frustrated conservative Turkish Cypriots have started preparations of founding a pro-settlement center-right party.

The probability of a "change" in northern Cyprus makes many hope that after the December polls there could be a serious push for a Cyprus settlement, but will the Greek Cypriot side be willing for a compromise knowing that it would be easier for them to attain most of their key demands in a settlement after May 2004 because of the need to conform an accord with the EU acquis?

Under such nasty developments, the conservative establishment in Ankara may want to revive the old plan of annexing northern Cyprus. Such a development, on the other hand, will derail totally the EU bid of Turkey.

[13] The Chairman of the Turkish Bar Association says Turkey will recognize the Republic of Cyprus in December 2004

The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee discussed in late March a controversial report saying Turkey's Kemalist ideology is an obstacle for the country's bid to become a member of the European Union.

"The underlying philosophy of the Turkish state, 'Kemalism', implies an exaggerated fear of the undermining of the integrity of the Turkish state and an emphasis on the homogeny of Turkish culture (nationalism), together with statism, an important role for the army, and a very rigid attitude to religion, which means that this underlying philosophy is itself a barrier to EU membership," said the report, prepared by Christian-Democrat parliamentarian Arie Oostlander of the Netherlands and presented to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defense Policy (AFET).

"No one can ask us to give up on values that identify us. Such a demand is bound to be rejected, no matter at what cost," said Turkish Bar Association (TBB) Chairman Ozdemir Ozok.

Ozok said EU membership was a very important goal of Turkey and added that the Copenhagen summit of December 2002 failed to meet Turkey's expectations from the Union.

In Copenhagen, the EU leaders refused to set a prompt date to start accession talks with Turkey and said instead that it could start talks without delay if a review of Turkey's membership performance in December 2004 reveals positive results.

But despite disappointment, Ozok said Turkey's EU aspirations would remain alive and claimed that a Europe without Turkey was bound to be "incomplete."

Ozok also touched on the EU's decision to admit Cyprus to membership and said Turkey would be in a position of recognizing Greek Cyprus as "Cyprus Republic" when the EU leaders, including that of Greek Cyprus, gather in December 2004 to evaluate Turkey's membership performance.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[14] The Cyprus 'equation' is changed

"Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas can hold rallies and run around every Turkish TV channel to press his case that the accession of the "Cyprus Republic" to the European Union is illegal but the fact of the matter is that his words and the support of the Turkish conservative establishment which has helped him so far to defy international world opinion has become meaningless as of Wednesday...

The minute the new Greek Cypriot president signed the accession treaty in the name of the "Cyprus Republic" it became official that the Turkish Cypriots and for that matter Turkey are now left in the cold and will either have to pay a heavy price to join the EU or set a new course without any EU aspirations.

The Turkish Cypriots will now have to give up several of their past demands to be able to convince their Greek Cypriot counterparts to agree to a solution that will help them ease their way into the EU as part of the Cyprus Republic. Without a solution on Cyprus no one will be able to convince the Greek Cypriots or Greece that they should not block Turkey's full membership prospects. We are told by EU sources that if Turkey fulfills all the full membership criteria and makes a good effort to solve the Cyprus issue but fails it will be very hard for the Greeks to veto Ankara but past experience shows how the member states have been unable to prevent such vetoes...

What people have to realize at the moment is that there is a very delicate technical problem which has arisen with the Greek Cypriots signing the accession treaty. Under normal circumstances it would be practically impossible to set up a new partnership state on Cyprus... But the EU has referred to the state as "Cyprus" and not republic of Cyprus to give one last chance to the Turkish Cypriots to work for a solution and set up a joint state with the Greeks until May 2004 when the Greek Cypriots become full members of the EU...

Let no one make any mistake that the issue will turn into a new major thorn in Turkish-EU relations: Although the EU has no "sovereign status" and thus a "geography of jurisdiction" on political terms Ankara will come under accusations that it is a country "occupying" a part of EU territory.

Besides this, from the date of completion of the Greek Cypriot accession in May 2004, besides the approval of Athens, Ankara will also need the approval of the Greek Cypriot administration even for starting accession talks.

Apart from all that the Greek Cypriot leadership on the one hand, the European Union on the other hand will intensify implementing social, economic and political programs aimed at reaching Turkish Cypriot people. With no sign on the horizon for an end to the economic blockade on northern Cyprus, dissent among Turkish Cypriots against the conservative government and Denktas, polarization of the northern Cyprus population as "pro-settlement Turkish Cypriots" and "anti-settlement Turkish Cypriots plus mainland settlers" may land the north into an unmanageable situation.

Has Denktas and his hard-liners in Turkey bargained for all this?"

[15] Turkish Mainland press commentaries on Cyprus' signing of the Accession Treaty

Ismet Berkant in RADIKAL under the title "Tears in the Picture" refers to the signing ceremony in Athens and says: "Yesterday we have witnessed the bankruptcy of a foreign policy based on symbols and fears" and adds that "although Cyprus is not Turkey's ticket to the EU, we know this: Even if there is a settlement in Cyprus Turkey's EU membership could not be realized. There is one thing however very clear; if there is no solution in Cyprus Turkey's EU membership will never be realized. That is yesterday was the end of Turkey's forty years of EU adventure, not officially but effectively this adventure has been ended. Now the hawks in Turkey with ease of mind could torture people and could kill or hang anybody they want.

In short, the EU Family picture, where Abdullah Gul did not take part, is the last form of the EU. Turkey will not be in that picture any more, even if it tries to be in that picture it will be treated as the stepson. They will make it to wait at the corner of the room standing on its one foot. And Turkish people will not and cannot accept such a treatment.

We are yet to realize that yesterday was a mourning day for us, and the Justice and Development Party (JDP) is the last politically responsible body to this mourning where it considered its very political future in Europe. Let us see how the JDP, which was unable to chart Turkey's fate, would be able to handle its own fate"

"Cyprus' last date of use"

Murat Yetkin in RADIKAL Newspaper (17/04/03) comments under the above title and says that "Turkey's eighty years of foreign policy experienced its heaviest defeat yesterday. The Greek Cypriot Republic's Signing of the Accession Agreement in Athens as The Republic of Cyprus during Greece's Term presidency is the document of the collapse of Turkey's forty-years of Cyprus policy". Yetkin urges Turkish leaders to review their Cyprus policy if they really want Turkey to reach its objectives.

Oktay Eksi: "Yesterday was a very important day"

Oktay Eksi in a commentary in HURRIYET newspaper (17.04.03) under the above title says that " no Turk should forget the date of 16 April 2003 because it is a date where everybody around us are watching a picture with joy and victory cries and we are forced to watch the same picture silently and with broken heart.

Yesterday there was a ceremony in Athens. The EU leaders attended this meeting. Turkey as well (irrespective of who represented Turkey) took part in this ceremony. And thus Turkey was a witness to the Greek Cypriot Administration of South Cyprus's membership to the EU where it gained status of being a state, member to the EU where for the last 29 years we have considered it non-existent. And, this is nothing but declaration of bankruptcy of Turkey's EU policy, otherwise if Turkey was successful the Greek Cypriots would not have been in EU today. Now, both Greece and the Greek Cypriot side are enjoying their victory. The Greek Prime Minister Simitis says: 'After forty years we have reached to the victory' and Turkey is attending a ceremony where it shows that the state that Ankara considered non existing, in fact does really exist".

/SK

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