Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-05-21

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Erdogan discussed Iraq, Cyprus, EU membership with chief of staff.

[02] Gul comments on military's criticism of EU package.

[03] The puppet regime granted its "citizenship" to another 810 persons.

[04] Ignoring the fact that the Turkish Cypriots abandoned their posts in the Republic of Cyprus Rauf Denktas accuses the Greek Cypriots of using the money given by international organizations only for themselves.

[05] Atun: "The recent developments showed that the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots can live together".

[06] Illegal Turkish fishing boats off the occupied Karpass Peninsula.

[07] Erdogan: "We did our duty to the humanity".

[08] Three hundred Greek Cypriot nurses will go to Turkey without a visa.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDIITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[09] Turkish columnist criticizes general for accusing former defense ministers.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Erdogan discussed Iraq, Cyprus, EU membership with chief of staff

The meeting between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok focused on the issues of Iraq, Cyprus and the European Union (EU).

During the meeting, which lasted for an hour and 25 minutes, recent developments both in Iraq and Cyprus were taken up.

Issues about Turkey's EU membership process were also assessed.

[02] Gul comments on military's criticism of EU package

Gul, inter alias, said: "I am going to Pakistan on an official visit. Turkey and Pakistan are two friendly and brotherly countries that have a very deep cooperation based on a shared history, culture, and faith.

As you know, Pakistan is a member of the UN Security Council at the moment, and is in fact the term president this month. Taking this opportunity, we will be discussing not only the bilateral relations between Turkey and Pakistan but various world developments as well. As you can imagine, these issues will be Iraq, Cyprus, and Kashmir."

Replying to reporter's question that the NSC secretary general criticized the EU adaptation package and whether any changes would be made in the package? Gul said:

"First of all, I am amazed at the way the newspapers can publish such long reports about secret correspondence. The second point is that Turkey is determined to advance on the path to the EU. That is Turkey's state policy, not only our government's policy, but the policy of our predecessors as well. At the moment, we are at a very important and critical period in the path toward the EU. What is it? It is Turkey's opportunity to start accession talks with the EU in 2004. This was accepted at the Copenhagen summit. In fact, it was said there that the talks should begin without any delay.

Undoubtedly, we must have certain laws enacted. We will have reform packages passed by parliament as we did in the past. When these packages are prepared, the draft laws are sent to all the ministries. All the ministries are consulted. The ministries formulate their views after consulting the institutions that are linked or affiliated to them. All these views are conveyed to the government which subsequently assesses them. The government takes all the sensitivities into consideration and then has the laws it must have enacted, enacted. I would like to state here that we must all trust Turkey. We must trust Turkey's past and future. We promised our people to establish a democracy that is as advanced as the democracies in the most advanced countries. Furthermore, it is Turkey's aim to reach and even exceed the level of the modern world. That can happen by being together with the EU. The EU places certain responsibilities on us. Consequently, we will be brave, we will trust our people, we will take the measures that need to be taken, and we will not lose this opportunity. In other words, we will make Turkey completely ready to start negotiations in 2004. The reform packages are important in this respect."

[03] The puppet regime granted its "citizenship" to another 810 persons

According to the paper the names of the above-mentioned people have been published in the so-called "official gazette" of the puppet regime. 246 persons were granted the "citizenship" because they got married to people who were already "citizens" and 165 persons are the children of the foreigners to whom the "citizenship" is granted.

This is the first time that the names of persons who have been granted the "citizenship" are published in the "official gazette", notes KIBRIS reminding that Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP), had filed charges against the puppet regime accusing it of "illegally" granting the so-called "citizenship" to about 1.600 persons before the so-called "municipal" elections on 30 June 2002.

[04] Ignoring the fact that the Turkish Cypriots abandoned their posts in the

Talking after a meeting with a delegation headed by Lutfi Ozter, Mr Denktas alleged that the Republic of Cyprus provides health services to its Turkish Cypriot citizens to prevent them from asking for their rights.

Meanwhile, talking during another meeting and commenting on the Turkish Cypriots who are applying to get hold of passports of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Denktas said: "These people are taking the passport of the Republic of Cyprus. They were co-founder partners of this Republic until 1963. They are not taking Greek Cypriot passports".

Mr Denktas alleged that by taking passports of the Republic of Cyprus the Turkish Cypriots did not refuse the so-called citizenship of his puppet regime.

[05] Atun: "The recent developments showed that the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots can live together"

Talking at a discussion in occupied Kerynia, Mr Atun, noted, inter alia, the following:

".It was said that the Turks and the Greeks could not live together. The opposite has been proved. We said that living side by side could be realized in a long lasting manner. Both communities will be living side by side and have their own state. For outside we have provided for a partnership, which will be ensuring a new cooperation and will be for the benefit of both people. I believe that we shall be led towards a solution in case the administrations of the Greek Cypriots, Greece and the EU begin to evaluate this new opening in such a manner".

[06] Illegal Turkish fishing boats off the occupied Karpass Peninsula

It is estimated that these big fishing boats are fishing tuna and big fish. The Turkish Cypriot fishermen of the area are protesting against the Turkish fishermen, who are fishing illegally in their territory and taking their living. The Turkish Cypriot fishermen said that they used to fish 40-50 kg of fish per day, but since the Turkish fishermen came, it has been dropped to 10-15 kg.

The Turkish Cypriot fishermen are calling the occupation authorities to take the necessary measures and not to give permission to the fishermen from Turkey to fish in their territory with their modern fishing boats. They called on them to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriot fishermen.

[07] Erdogan: "We did our duty to the humanity"

Claiming that bold steps have been taken in Cyprus, Erdogan said that he believes that these steps will greatly contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem.

"We did something unexpected. We opened our gates to the Greek Cypriots. Whether they like it or not, we did our duty and will continue to do so", Erdogan said.

The Turkish Prime Minister supported that the courageous steps taken in Cyprus should be seen by the world as a proof of Turkey's and its Government 's decisiveness towards a solution in Cyprus and called on Greek Cypriot side and Greece to take similar steps on the issue. "It is their turn" Erdogan declared.

Mr Erdogan pointed out to the need for all sides to make mutual sacrifices if they are to meet at a common point towards peace; something all sides desired.

Noting that they aimed at making Turkey a centre of attraction for both its own public and the region's countries, Erdogan pledged that they would validate the Copenhagen criteria in Turkey. He also said that they were waiting for a response from Greece and Greek Cypriots against the steps they took in Cyprus.

[08] Three hundred Greek Cypriot nurses will go to Turkey without a visa

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDIITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[09] Turkish columnist criticizes general for accusing former defense ministers

"I am now almost hundred percent convinced that there is such a syndrome. Some people, who occupy key positions in the government, as well as high-level military officials, judges and public prosecutors start to lament when their retirement looms on the horizon, asking themselves what the country would do without them.

They identify themselves with their posts and the country to such an extent that they eventually get overwhelmed by the feeling that they and the country form a single indivisible entity.

Just like some mothers who cannot select a girl for their sons to marry, they find it difficult to leave the country to their successors.

General Tuncer Kilinc, National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General, is the last example of numerous public officials suffering from "what would the country do without me?" syndrome.

Since he will retire in August he is overwhelmed by the suspicion that his successor would not be able to safeguard national interests.

Similar instincts are also demonstrated by Yekta Gungor Ozden [former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court], Vural Savas [former Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals], Mumtaz Soysal [former Foreign Minister] and some retired generals.

Although the public does not take them seriously and sneer at the political parties they have founded, but they never give up their struggle aimed at saving the country. They formulated policies for Cyprus and even wrote how the United States would eventually screw up in Iraq in spite of the fact that US troops had already penetrated into Iraq.

From their standpoint, everybody, who does not share their views, is a traitor to his or her country.

I have been closely following the comments made by Kilinc as a glaring example of that attitude.

If he does not make any statement for several days, I fear that something bad could have happened to him. The General has suggested that Turkey should form an alliance with Iran, and non-governmental organizations should be controlled by the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and even claimed that there were hirelings in the media.

Please do not say that nobody is taking those suggestions seriously, because I do.

Since the NSC Secretary General has said that there are hirelings in the media, I have the right to expect him to disclose their names and press charges against them instead of ignoring his remarks.

What if those persons are putting our national security in jeopardy?

In his latest comments, Kilinc has said that five former Defense Ministers, during whose tenure he served as Undersecretary, were talented people, but they placed their own parties above the country.

To put it plainly, he has accused those ministers.

Hence, a person, who has been entrusted with the task of serving the public and gets his salary from money paid by taxpayers, has accused those ministers, who were elected by the people and even worked with him in the past.

He may have justifiable reasons to level that criticism, but that is not the point.

What I find inconceivable is that he has made those remarks that lack seriousness while he was still serving as NSC Secretary General. He may not care about the damage he is doing to the country, but there must be others who should.

I cannot understand why we are surprised when foreign journalists and observers ask whether there would be a military coup in Turkey after hearing remarks made by Kilinc and other military officials sharing his views, who are on the eve of their retirement.

Hearing Kilinc's latest remarks, I automatically asked myself why he had not tendered his resignation rather than continuing to work for those ministers he did not like, as anybody with high professional principles would have done so.

/SK

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