Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-06-09

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

[A] NEWS

[01] Denktas' statements to "TAK".

[02] Mehmet Ali Talat accused Denktas of being a dictator.

[03] RTP will contest the December so-called Parliamentary elections by itself.

[04] The settlers' organization will show its dissatisfaction during the forthcoming elections.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[05] Columnist in AFRIKA compares statements by Denktas and Talat on the forthcoming so-called elections.

[A] NEWS

[01] Denktas' statements to "TAK"

Mr Denktas further accused the oppositions of getting money from foreign forces to destroy his regime.

Referring to the demands of the Turkish Cypriots to get child allowance from the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Denktas said: "Those who have Turkish Cypriot citizenship, irrespective of whether they possess Cypriot passport should not ask for money from the Greek Cypriots as a beggar since they have not served in the army and paid no taxes there."

In the meantime, KIBRISLI (08.06.03) writes in its front page that "finally Denktas spilled out what he was trying for some time now to avoid disclosing. He implied that no solution and agreement should be accepted until Turkey accedes to the EU."

[02] Mehmet Ali Talat accused Denktas of being a dictator

Talat said that the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas' allegations on the EU aid package are absurd and added that it is not true that the 6 million euros that were given to the three municipalities in the occupied areas of Cyprus will go to the opposition for the coming elections.

Stressing that it is a shame that the so-called Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu and Denktas are asking that the EU money be given to the so-called coalition government of National Unity Party (NUP) - Democratic Party (DP), Talat reminded them that even the money that comes from Turkey are being squandered by the illegal NUP-DP government. "So the EU funds should be given directly to the projects," Talat concluded.

Talat described the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas as dictator who acts as the only sovereign.

[03] RTP will contest the December so-called Parliamentary elections by itself

Mr Talat, also, said that the list of candidates will include representatives of NGO's and intellectuals. Furthermore, he stated that they plan to change the rules and the emblem of the party.

[04] The settlers' organization will show its dissatisfaction during the forthcoming elections

In the statement, which was made public yesterday, the settlers accused the occupation regime for the fact that for 29 years they have lived under low educational and financial conditions. They also stated that the regime in occupied Cyprus took advantage of the settlers' hopes, their anxiety for the future and their national feelings. "You exploited us, you used us, you took advantages of us", it was stressed in the statement.

The settlers also stated that this period has ended, they are aware of their situation and they do not want this situation to continue. As they stressed they want a solution for the Cyprus problem, they want to see the future and they do not want to hear more lies from the "government". "We want to determine our own fate, we want our future to be in our hands. We are under the guardianship of nobody", they added.

In addition, in the statement the settlers warned that they would show their dissatisfaction in the coming "elections". Regarding the so-called elections they claimed that until now the parties they supported came to power but they were deceived by them and took no notice of their problems. They said that a small percentage of settlers always voted for the opposition anyway and suggested that this percentage could be increased.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[05] Columnist in AFRIKA compares statements by Denktas and Talat on the forthcoming so-called elections

"Things are shaping up.

Two statements were made yesterday: One by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas, and the other by the RTP [opposition leftist Republican Turkish Party].

Denktas has already taken his measures for the December elections. Without mentioning the RTP's name, he says: "If you do not like the administration, you may change it in the elections. One cannot, however, hand over the administration to those who would destroy the State."

Denktas clearly implies: Every kind of measure will be taken to ensure that the RTP or the opposition do not win, but if they accidentally win, the administration will still not be handed over to them.

Why would it not be handed over?

He says the state represents the people's honor, and that he cannot entrust the people's honor to just anyone, particularly to those who make the Annan plan their banner.

As for the RTP statement, it could not have been worse. The RTP is adamant about going to the elections with its own list, and says that it will include in its list those civilian organizations that wish to be included. What a deal! It says the other opposition parties may do whatever they like, go to the elections separately or united. It offers, however, to cooperate with them on principles.

Let us now see what Denktas tries to do, and what the RTP tries to do and compare the two. No one, not just someone of Denktas' caliber, stands to lose the elections against an unintelligent opposition.

As a matter of fact, if Denktas has not suffered defeat until now, this is due to his own power as much as to the mistakes of the opposition.

The many mistakes of the opposition did not start just today. It has been making mistakes one after the other since the 1981 elections. As for Denktas, he has not forgiven any mistakes until today, and has scored his goals one after the other.

Denktas got the first effective slap from the people in the 1981 elections. It was not certain until the last moment whether he had won or not.

The NUP [ruling center right National Unity Party] had dropped to a minority position in the KTFD [Turkish Federated State of Cyprus] National Assembly with 18 seats out of 40. Having won 21 seats, the opposition should have established the government. Then too, our people had united at the grassroots and taken to the streets. Just as is the case today, the opposition took it easy and did not secure unity at the top. Upon the failure of the 13 members of the CLP [opposition social democratic Communal Liberation Party] and the six members of the RTP to come together to increase their number to 19, Denktas got the NUP to set up a minority government. He had enlisted the support of [former Turkish President] Kenan Evren to act in this way. The fact is that the total percentage of the opposition votes was over 50.

From that day on, the opposition could not reach 50 percent any more, because Denktas, who demanded measures to reduce to a minority those who had not voted for him, speeded up the importing of votes, whereas the opposition just chose to watch. The opposition did not give much importance to the transfer of population.

The number of voters increased from 67,000 in the 1976 elections to 134,000 in the June 2002 elections.

It will not matter if no one of the Turkish Cypriot voters, who number 54,000 at the moment, votes for Denktas. Would it be possible for the opposition to win the elections at a time when the remaining 80,000 votes can be controlled? Moreover, would the opposition stand any chance since the RTP has announced that it will take part in the elections alone?

The fact remains, though, that Denktas has already stated what he would do: I shall not hand over the administration to the RTP even if it wins.

The opposition, primarily the RTP, should be aware of the following: Unless the December elections are turned into a public referendum, these elections to which the people look forward with much expectation will result in disappointment.

Are you able to set your own rules from now, just as Denktas is doing, in order to hit Denktas with his own weapons? Are you able to say as follows: Here is my common list. Any Turkish Cypriot voting for this list will be voting for peace. If this list is defeated because of the unknown number of votes of the Turkish mainland voters, would you state your intention to refer both the election results and the issue to the European Court of Human Rights?

If you are not able to state so, you had better sit where you are and not inject any hope in vain to the people, because Denktas courageously says the very thing you are unable to say due to your fear of Ankara.

Denktas says he will not hand over the administration to you even if you win.

/SK

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