Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-07-09

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] KTOS supports Ali Erel.

[02] Ali Erel does not exclude the possibility of participating in the ^Óelections^Ô with his own formation.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[03] Commentary in AKSAM examines Denktas´ intention to prevent Turkish Cypriots acquiring passports of the Republic of Cyprus from voting in December so-called elections.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] KTOS supports Ali Erel

Mr Elcil said that everybody had the duty to intensify the struggle for achieving the goal of reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the Annan plan and the accession of Cyprus to the EU.

Noting that their aim is turning the ^Óelections^Ô into a referendum and acting together to change the status quo, Mr Elcil added: ^ÓThere is a serious obstacle on the issue of a solution on the basis of the Annan Plan and the accession of the ^ÑTRNC^Ò as a whole to the EU, from which the Turkish Cypriots will benefit^Ô.

Mr Elcil said that the issue of their discussion with Ali Erel had been ways for cooperation towards the direction of achieving their goal.

[02] Ali Erel does not exclude the possibility of participating in the ^Óelections^Ô with his own formation

In an exclusive interview to YENI DUZEN, Mr Erel said, inter alia, the following: ^ÓEverybody has the same goal and the same starting point, but there are two different formations. ^ÅWe could find common points. ^ÅIt is not possible for us or for another civilian organization to establish a party and as an organization to give candidates for MP to parties. ^ÅEvery person is free to use his own free will and could participate as a person. ^ÅIf there could not be a joint list, the alternative for this will be found then. If it is necessary, a third formation will be established. ^Å^Ô.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[03] Commentary in AKSAM examines Denktas´ intention to prevent Turkish Cypriots acquiring passports of the Republic of Cyprus from voting in December so-called elections

^Ó`President´ Rauf Denktas, who is feeling more stifled as the December elections draw closer, has started to place his hopes in remedies that are as original as they are questionable in terms of political morality and democratic customs. Now he is planning to instantaneously discard thousands of his own Turkish Cypriot citizens even though he knows that doing so will deal a very heavy blow to his political esteem.

Mr Denktas has a strange argument. He says Turks who get "Republic of Cyprus" passports, in other words Greek Cypriot passports, should be forbidden from taking part in the general elections that will be held at the end of the year and which the opposition is expected to win.

Of course, he wants the issue to "simply be debated" for now because he knows this is an idea that will, never mind the world, not be accepted by people who believe in democracy in Turkey and the `TRNC´. However, he took care to make himself look extremely serious while expressing such an opinion.

First let us describe the matter in Mr Denktas' words as they were noted in the press:

"What do the Greek Cypriots say? 'People who obtain passports from us belong to the team that opposes Denktas and naturally, they will vote to destroy Denktas' policy during the elections.' A legal situation is emerging now. What are the rights of people with two passports during the elections?"

However, there is a serious problem here. It is not a new thing for Turkish Cypriots to obtain passports from either Greek Cypriot authorities on the island or from Greek Cypriot missions elsewhere. This has been going on for years. Just how many Turks obtained passports through such methods is not known for sure.

In the meantime, it is known that tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots carry the passports of countries such as Britain, Canada and Australia. In short, where the discrimination that Denktas wants to apply to his kin will stop is not certain either.

It is a fact that there was a big increase in the number of people who crossed into the south and applied for passports after the border between the two sides was opened up. The reason is obvious. The Turks who crossed into the south, based on what they have seen, want to get their share of the welfare that will come with EU membership. In other words, unlike Denktas, they do not perceive the EU as a "foe" but as a "saviour". Briefly, Denktas and a majority of his kin are "pragmatically opposed to each other" in a deep-rooted way.

As Mr Denktas has said, of course, the Greek Cypriots who cross into the north see that it is not "hell floating in destitution". However, it is impossible to turn a blind eye to the huge gap between the two sides in terms of the level of welfare. In summary, Turkish Cypriots perceive the EU as the answer as they have understood that they will not be able to enhance their own welfare unless the Cyprus problem is solved and that it is meaningless to expect this from Turkey, which has limited economic strength.

Currently the only way to do this is via the south because Denktas has taken it on himself to prevent the north from joining the EU with its own will. So much so that he is still insisting that Cyprus cannot become a member until Turkey joins the EU. Furthermore, his efforts are futile because Cyprus has already joined the EU.

In other words, even if the Cyprus problem were to be solved he is telling his citizens that they cannot join the EU before Turkey does. Then he ponders why tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots rejected this approach and applied to Greek Cypriot authorities for EU membership.

In the meantime, he knows very well what this concept, which is a very unpleasant one for him, will mean during the upcoming general elections. This is why he is setting aside his democratic identity and is placing his hopes in a suggestion that would deprive a majority of his citizens from enjoying their most basic rights.

However, he would not experience such problems if he tried to understand why an increasing number of his kin are rejecting him; if only he realized that he was `president´ of the Turkish Cypriots and not of anyone else; and if he were to look for solutions to the accumulated problems of his citizens without discriminating among them and by remaining at an equal distance to all. Just as he would not experience such problems he would also retain his honourable place in history without damaging his political esteem. However, the impasse he is in is getting worse because he is failing to this.^Ô

/SK

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