Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-05-14

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas claims that a plan better than the Annan plan can be achieved.

[02] The illegal settlers continue their protest against the occupation regime.

[03] Several Greek Cypriots were arrested by the occupation regime.

[04] Members of the Turkish group of the joint Turkey - EU Parliamentary Committee met with the leaders of the Turkish Cypriot opposition parties.

[05] Sixteen Syrians were arrested in the occupied areas.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[06] Columnist in AFRIKA accuses Erdogan and Denktas of working towards non-solution.

[07] Arif Hasan Tahsin: The Cyprus Government's allowing settlers to the free areas will be tantamount to the death ferman of the independent Cyprus.

[08] Turkish Cypriot paper wants neither guarantees nor army in Cyprus.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas claims that a plan better than the Annan plan can be achieved

According to YENI CIZGI (14.05.03), Rauf Denktas, addressing the first session of a symposium on Turkey's Public Finance hosted by the Turkish Minister of Finance Kemal Unakitan, and the Rector of the Marmara University at the Crystal Cove hotel in occupied Kyrenia, inter alia, said that those who want a lasting and just solution must satisfy the demand for property exchange and payment of compensation.

The paper also reports that Denktas, speaking yesterday during a meeting with the Turkish Minister of Finance Kemal Unakitan, referred to the protest demonstration held by the Association of the Turkish settlers in the occupied areas, where he explained that half of the Turkish origin settlers would have to leave the occupied area and lose the Greek Cypriot properties given illegally to them if the Annan Plan hadn't been rejected.

[02] The illegal settlers continue their protest against the occupation regime

Commenting yesterday on Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktas' statement regarding the gathering the association of the Turkish settlers organized at the occupied village of Pergamos on 11 May, the chairman of the association, Dr Nuri Cevikel rejected Mr Denktas' allegations that the settlers organized this gathering demanding the solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the Annan plan because they were deceived.

Mr Cevikel said: "Our issue is not whether or not we can cross over to the south. Let no one distort this issue. .We want to be no one/s slaves any more. We do not want to be the cheap applauders at the rallies, which everybody knows how they are organized to achieve the continuation of this order of things for the sake of someone's interests. We are fed up with lies. .We want a solution as soon as possible, whatever its name will be. We the Turks from Turkey pay the higher price for the non-solution.".

[03] Several Greek Cypriots were arrested by the occupation regime

HALKIN SESI (14.05.03) reports that yesterday at 17:30, 77 year-old Theodoros Christoforou and 51 year-old Neophytos Demosthenous tried to carry from the occupied areas to the free areas of Cyprus the bell of the church of their occupied village Skylloura, which was given to them by the Turkish Cypriot village head-man Hasan Ucoz.

The Greek Cypriots, during the control at the occupation check-point, said that Skylloura's village head-man gave them the bell with a written permission. The occupation regime confiscated the bell and their car. The persons were taken to the so-called police station of occupied Yerolakkos.

The second incident occurred at the occupied village of Flamoudi, where the 60 year-old Greek Cypriot, Iezekil Ioannou, wanted to take to his old father some stones from their house as a memoir. At Ayios Dometios check-point, the occupation police seized the eight pieces of stone with the excuse that they are stones of historic value. Iezekil Ioannou, his daughter Katerina, his grandchild Antonis Antoniou and a relative Irododos Stylianou were arrested and driven to the so-called police station in occupied Famagusta.

According to KIBRIS (14.05.03), there was also a third arrest of Greek Cypriots visiting their occupied homes. The occupation regime arrested yesterday Georgis Georgiou (36 year-old) and Panayiotis Hambis (32 year-old) for fishing with fish pear and a net at the occupied village Davlos without permission from the occupation authorities. Denktas' puppet regime confiscated their fish equipment and arrested them for investigation.

[04] Members of the Turkish group of the joint Turkey - EU Parliamentary Committee met with the leaders of the Turkish Cypriot opposition parties

In a statement after the meetings, the leader of the delegation Aydin Dumanoglu said that all political parties in Turkey share the same position on the European Union issues.

Mr Dumanoglu stated that the committee wants to learn the stance of both the so-called government and the opposition in the occupied areas as regards these issues, in order to reach a synthesis, which would then be taken to the European Union.

For his part, the leader of the Communal Liberation Party (CLP), Huseyin Angolemli, said people on both sides have recently found an opportunity to get to know each other with the partial lifting of restrictions on movement. However, he added, that this cannot be a substitute to the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Stressing that a resolution of the Cyprus problem will open the way for Turkey to further its EU membership bid, Mr Angolemli said the Annan Plan has been the best opportunity until today for a solution.

According to YENIDUZEN (14.05.03), the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) Mehmet Ali Talat, after the meeting, stressed that the Turkish Cypriots have already displayed their desire for a solution.

He said the solution of the Cyprus problem is in the interests of both Turkish Cypriots and Turkey. He also stressed that he supports a solution within the framework of the Annan plan.

The leader of the Renewal Progressive Party (RPP), Ertugrul Hasipoglu, said that the Annan Plan provided a good basis for future negotiations to begin from.

[05] Sixteen Syrians were arrested in the occupied areas

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[06] Columnist in AFRIKA accuses Erdogan and Denktas of working towards non-solution

"Having closed tightly all the doors leading to reconciliation in the direct talks taking place since 4 December 2001, in Copenhagen on 12 December 2002, in Cyprus on 28 February, in the Hague on 10 March, and in Athens on 16 April, [Turkish Cypriot Leader] Rauf Denktas has come to these very days with the full support and admiration of the deep state in Turkey and the dark forces supporting it.

Denktas has cruelly and extravagantly wasted the opportunity for a solution and peace presented in a gold platter to the Turkish Cypriots after 30 years. The entire world has declared Denktas as the only person responsible for the failure of the process of peace and a solution. Some people have also put the blame on the forces backing Denktas.

As if all these did not happen and as if he was not the one wasting the opportunities on 12 December, on 28 February, on 10 March, and on 16 April, Denktas now raises a clamor, saying "the Greek Cypriots are closing the doors to compromise."

Call it expediency, an act to hide one's misconduct, or anything else you like, but you cannot call it politics, you cannot call it shrewdness, and you cannot call it statesmanship. It can only be described as intrigues, ugly politics, and a move to put the world in the position of an idiot.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan came and went back without giving any hope that the Cyprus problem would be solved by May 2004.

Even our "opposition" parties, which had great expectations, could not see the slightest ray of hope. On the contrary, Erdogan appealed to them too to act in unity and solidarity with Denktas.

The comment that the NJP [Nationalist Justice Party] made is probably the most correct one! Summing up Erdogan's remarks, the NJP reached the following conclusion: "The `TRNC/ will live on forever."

Erdogan's remarks contain no reference to a solution, peace, and the realization of the will of the Turkish Cypriots. The supporters of the regime reach baseless conclusions when referring to "Erdogan's new openings."

These people speak about making moves for [facilitating] telephone communication and granting scholarships to the Greek Cypriot students. It is as though they have solved the problems of the Turkish Cypriot students.

The Turkish Cypriot side says no fees would be collected from vehicles crossing over to the south. Is this not great? They call all these, "New Moves toward confidence-building." They then turn around to nullify this confidence with just one decision. They change the one-hundred-year-old name "Kermia" to "Metehan." No one can claim that this is compatible with goodwill. This unnecessary change cannot have any contribution to a solution and peace.

Their intention, however, is not a solution and peace, but to ensure that the "TRNC" lives on forever and Turkey continues to act in the way it wants in North Cyprus.

Who knows? It might be that Turkey has certain remarkable interests of an unimaginable nature on this two-foot piece of land to which the international law has no access!

The populist speeches that Erdogan unexpectedly made in Cyprus and the change of the name "Kermia" to "Metehan" overnight are no coincidence.

Ankara plays for no solution rather than for a solution.

The opening of the border gates will lose its attraction after some time no matter what, and the Turkish Cypriots will remain face to face with the reality of the prisoners' camp."

[07] Arif Hasan Tahsin: The Cyprus Government's allowing settlers to the free areas will be tantamount to the death ferman of the independent Cyprus

Why are we referring to this issue again? Because on 23 April certain crossing points were opened, for this reason. What is the problem then? The problem is the Greek Cypriot refusal to let the Turks, who were brought here and when they were brought they were immediately given the right to vote and then they were declared 'citizens of Cyprus', to cross in the free areas.

First the opposition tried to exploit this issue. It claimed that had the Annan plan been accepted, these people should have been crossing into the south Cyprus now.

Irrespective of the fact that whether the Greeks have accepted this provision included in the Annan plan or not, isn't Denktas, who wants to make these people to be accepted as citizens, who were brought here by Turkey in violation of the international law and committing war crime, and who for years with their votes kept Denktas in power?

As the case is why then the opposition in north Cyprus grabbed this issue? Do they think that with these people's vote they will reach the right point? It could be. But why do they miss an important part of the game?

Did they think well what would happen if they force and make the Republic of Cyprus accept these people to whom citizenship were given by north Cyprus, that is by Denktas and Turkey's military -civilian bureaucrats? One knows well what Denktas and the ruling circles in Turkey think. What about the opposition?

If they could force the people who have the helms of the Republic of Cyprus in their hand, to accept the citizenship given to the people brought from Turkey, then you should not harbor any doubts that soon they will transfer this Turkish population to south Cyprus.

Could south Cyprus carry the weight of Turkey's population?

In a short period of time south Cyprus would be like north Cyprus. Will the Greek Cypriots permit this?

If the Greek Cypriots commit the first mistake and open the gates, thus being tricked by Denktas, then when they wake up and try to take counter measures then it is highly possible that they would be faced with the "liberation" of the south Cyprus as well!

So, if the government in the south opens the doors to the settlers from Turkey because the opposition in the north wants to, then it would be tantamount to the government in the south signing the death ferman (Tr. Note: Imperial decree by Ottoman Sultan) of the independent Cyprus.

On 12 May 2003 Serdar Denktas in the BRT has claimed that everywhere in the world citizenship is given to a person who has lived for 28 years in a place. I invite him to give me a single example where citizenship is allocated, not "everywhere" but in one single place, where the international law stipulates that military could transport people to an occupied territory. I want example.Example.

The opposition should come to its senses and this time play the game according to its rules.

· It should declare that it would participate in the elections with a single list · It should inform the UN, EU and Turkey that the people brought over from Turkey should not take part in the elections. · It should demand from Turkey to comply with the rule of law in north Cyprus as soon as possible.

Otherwise the opposition should from now declare that it would boycott the elections, and start taking the necessary measures.

Because, if not, both the occupation as well as the election would be ridiculous."

[08] Turkish Cypriot paper wants neither guarantees nor army in Cyprus

"Do you want guarantees or do you want the army to stay? This was the question asked to Rauf and he said 'if the guarantees stay the army could leave'! Did everything, which happened to us, not happen because of these guarantees and the army related with them? Are they not the reasons for which we attacked each other, caused the war and make us fight each other? We want neither guarantees nor the army. Do you know how it does look like? It looks like the story of the man who was asked whether he wanted a horse or a sword.

Rauf declared this statement to be false, but we know that he was the one who always decided for us. Let us remind to him. We want neither guarantees nor the army. Those who will leave, could go with the last ship"!

/SK

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