Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-05-20

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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 alleges that the Greek Cypriots could not return to their homes because this is contrary to the "laws" of his puppet regime.

[02] Gul criticized Denktas for not instilling national spirit in Turkish Cypriots.

[03] Gul alleged criticisms of Denktas.

[04] A research on illegal constructions on Greek Cypriot property.

[05] Nineteen people arrested for the incident at illegal "NEU".

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[06] Columnist of AFRIKA is not satisfied both with the measures announced by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and Ankara's behaviour towards the Turkish Cypriots.

[07] The Wound.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas alleges that the Greek Cypriots could not return to their homes because this is contrary to the "laws" of his puppet regime

Talking yesterday after a meeting with a delegation of Turkey's Grand National Assembly, Mr Denktas explained that the model he referred to is "free movement between two people, two neighbours". Claiming that the Greek Cypriots should pay a quota according to the so-called "laws" of his puppet regime in order to acquire property in the occupied areas, Mr Denktas alleged the following:

"They could settle here after getting permission, as it happens in all the countries. Everybody could enter Turkey as a tourist, but if he wants to settle there he should get permission from the authorities. What things are taken into consideration for giving permission? Certainly, the security and the fact that we do not want them to come here and take all the land away from us, should be taken into consideration. We do not want the majority to make us minority. This is a real danger here. For this reason the limitation of acquiring property had been accepted in the past. Acquiring of property could and will be limited. If they accept these, the Cyprus problem will be solved within two - three weeks. If they accept the principles of the existence of two states, two neighbours, two equals".

[02] Gul criticized Denktas for not instilling national spirit in Turkish

It was learned that Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul made interesting evaluations related to Cyprus at the Justice and Development Party (JDP) meeting held in Antalya last weekend. According to the information obtained, Mr. Gul used expressions criticizing Denktas, due to the internal reactions increasing in the occupation regime.

It was learned that Mr Gul made the following evaluations: "Palestinian children are defending their country with sticks and stones. Your people are protesting you because they could not unite with the Greek Cypriots. We could not give them this conscience. In 1996, we told the 'Turkish Cypriot Administration': 'Let us open imam-hatip and theology faculties', but they did not listen to us. At that period they looked at our government as though we were the occupation forces. Today, the realities are in front of us. Denktas is being protested by his own people".

It drew attention to that when Mr Gul was criticizing Mr Denktas, he brought onto the agenda the proposals they made during the period of the Welfare Party and True Path Party coalition government.

[03] Gul alleged criticisms of Denktas

When reminded about the news telling that Gul harshly criticized the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas during the JDP meeting in Antalya, Gul said that the things discussed in a closed meeting were covered wrongly.

"I got broad information about Cyprus during the meeting in Antalya. There has been injustice in Cyprus for long years and Mr Denktas has been the person who successfully defended the national cause to date. Turkey and 'TRNC' have recently taken important steps. Greek Cypriots will come to Turkey for the first time after 40 years. We expect many Greek Cypriots to come to Turkey. These developments will increase the mutual trust and we will get the positive results of that. The so-called 'embargo' imposed by EU on 'TRNC' had to be lifted. In fact they say that there is no embargo, but this is actually 'embargo'. It is time to lift the embargo. Mr. Denktas had significant contributions to all of these developments which I mentioned. Both the Turkish side and the Greek Cypriot side opposed to Annan Plan. But as the Turkish side reacted loudly to the plan, Denktas became the target. The news telling that I criticized Denktas is wrong."

[04] A research on illegal constructions on Greek Cypriot property

In his letter, Yalcin Cemal, noted that some buildings were constructed on a Greek Cypriot property without any permission and asked detailed information on the land and to whom it belong to.

[05] Nineteen people arrested for the incident at illegal "NEU"

During the incident ultra nationalists Grey Wolves, holding thick iron bars and chains attacked Kurdish students at the "NEU".

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[06] Columnist of AFRIKA is not satisfied both with the measures announced by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and Ankara's behaviour towards the Turkish Cypriots

"A new page has been opened for the Turkish Cypriots after the Republic of Cyprus' joining the EU and the opening of the doors. As if a magical hand interfered, they are now competing who will take us with his side. The first attack had come by Ankara. After 29 years Ankara announced that it would grant the Turkish Cypriots the citizenship and the passport of Turkey. . However, today giving to us only the citizenship and the passport is not enough. We want the same opportunities that we as 'TRNC' gave to our brothers from Turkey in northern Cyprus. We want nothing more or nothing less. .However, together with the citizenship a house, some land or a shop, a loan and the right of getting free education and health services must be granted. Nothing less could save us.

Suddenly, after 16 April our value increased before our (Greek Cypriot) neighbours as well. They too prepared a package for our good. They too promised citizenship and passports. Furthermore, their passport is very valuable, because is red. We could give you work, they said. They even suggested giving job to Turkish Cypriot subcontractors. They do not say much on the issue of the houses. They do not mention the issue of giving compensations. They do not refer to our 30 % share in the state administration.

Pardon me neighbours. People do not treat their old partners in such a stingy manner. You cannot deceive them with a passport. The most important thing is the property in the south for which we have title deeds. Only in the district of Paphos we have abandoned 156 donums of land (translator's note: 'donum' is a land measure equal to 1000 square meters). Furthermore, we left our homes. We left the productive land of Mandirga. We left 39 donums of vineyards. We left thousands of donums of land by the sea, the worth of which is equal to gold. We left arable land. We left our vehicles, our requisites, our tractors and our trucks. These are only the things remained in Paphos. We also left things in the other districts: Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaka.

As soon as we get our red passport we shall first settle our outstanding accounts. As an 'executor' how much have you rent to our Greek Cypriot brothers our two storied house in Limassol which has a garden and it was just finished in 1974? Is it only for four pounds per month? How about the building at Muttalos village in Paphos, which belonged to uncle Ahmet? Have you rent it for 15 pounds per year? Well, who is going to pay for the damages in our houses at Omorphita, from where you threw us out in 1963? What about the compensation for my uncle whom you added in the list of the 500 missing Turks only in 2003? What about the money that those who had been thrown out from their jobs in the public sector should take?

As you see neighbours the list is very long. However, come and let us begin from the simple things. Let us arrange the issue of the rent without going to court. Furthermore, there is similar case in your courts. It is the case of a Greek Cypriot brother of ours who filed charges against one bank in Morphou and was given with a court decision 90 thousand Cyprus pounds as rent. What is the current price of a two-storied house with garden in Limassol? Is it at least 600 - 700 thousand Cyprus pounds? We do not want 600 - 700 thousands. Let us say less. Is it 400 - 450 thousand pounds? What is the annual price? Is it five thousand pounds? How much is it for 30 years? It is 150 thousand Cyprus pounds plus the legal interest. Firstly, as an 'executor' please pay this small amount of money and afterwards do what is necessary to empty my house, because I am going to marry my son in our house in Limassol.

I have another small request. I would like a job in the public service for my son and my daughter as stipulated by in law from the Turkish quota. Like it or not all the 30 % quota of the Turkish Cypriots is free. .

A package from the EU will come soon. Let them announce their package as well and we shall write our opinion for it. If we do not like it we shall complain about Mr Verheugen to the ECHR. From now on there is no need for using force, causing bloodsheds and conquering! We have all become citizens of the EU. We shall solve our affairs by the law. Just like Loizidou did".

[07] The Wound

"Had the Turkish side opened the gates prior to the Greek Cypriot elections most probably Papadopoulos would have not been elected. This is today's picture that we see in Cyprus. Papadopoulos and Christofias are very uneasy of this picture. On the other hand the Greek Cypriot community is very happy. Greek Cypriot leadership and the Greek Cypriot community got wrong each other.

Had a single Greek Cypriot refused to cross to the north when the barricades were removed.Had he /she said: "I would never present passport in order to cross from one side to the other of my country".

Had he /she said: "it hearts me to be a tourist in my country". Ankara and Denktas would have been experienced another defeat. They would have been ruined when no one was trapped in their trap. Naturally this was going to force them to take other steps for a solution.

What is the one of the most important realities that become apparent following the opening of the gates? The breach between the Greek Cypriot leadership and the Greek Cypriot community. It seems that the Greek Cypriot Community has used to the status that is going on for the last thirty years in Cyprus. It seems that what was hurting them was not the division-as we thought- of the island but the closing of the gates. Prohibition imposed on the freedom of movement. Inability to go to Kyrenia. Inability to climb the Pendadactilos. Inability to breathe Morfou. Inability to visit the other half of Nicosia. And, inability to cross the island, from Paphos to the very tip of the Karpass peninsula.

Now we are at ease . Crossings are free. You can go where ever you want to. The breach between the Greek Cypriot leadership and the Greek Cypriot community is deeper than we thought to. The Greek Cypriot community is cut off as much of its leadership as we are cut off from our leadership. The Greek Cypriot leadership is bitter about the Greek Cypriots who go and enjoy themselves in the occupied area.

Despite the fact that the leadership wants to prohibit this but since it would be the violation of the individual rights it is unable to act the way it wants to.

The Greek Cypriot leadership is very angry in the face of seeing how Denktas and Ankara are delighted about this development. But it is helpless.

It is the Greek Cypriot community and not we, the Turkish Cypriots that put the Greek Cypriot leadership in this situation. No body cares about enjoying in the occupied area. No body cares to produce passports at the check point . It seems that in thirty years time a lot of things have changed . It seems that, like us, the Greek Cypriots as well digested the idea of seeing their homeland as 'divided homeland'. It seems that the Greek Cypriots as well lost their sense of reaction. They are coming wave after wave to the north being aware of the fact that they are serving to Denktas' and Ankara's policies.

How many Greek Cypriots do care about living together?. When Christofias has made statements asking 'people not to present passports ', he lost popularity. There was a time where it was impossible to dream that a Greek Cypriot will present his passport and cross into the north. Time has solved every thing . It seems that the Greek Cypriots adopted living not together but side by side.

This friendship is enough . No one demanding more! After 1974 they become rich . Is it bad to enjoy on both sides? What about the property the Greek Cypriots left on this side? Do not worry.

They will be compensated. May be we were unable to destroy the status quo in the north Cyprus but we wounded it. Unfortunately, now the Greek Cypriots are trying to heal the wounds of this status quo!".

/SK

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