Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-08-28

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leaders visit to Istanbul is related to the affiliation of the Turkish Cypriot Rotarians.

[02] Izzet Izcan accuses the Turkish occupation army of interfering in the so-called elections.

[03] The Chairman of the Turkish mainland settlers´ association met the Spanish Ambassador to Cyprus. He wants the settlers to participate in the negotiations.

[04] Serious animal disease is dangerously spreading in occupied Cyprus.

[05] AFRIKA newspaper publishes the results of a new opinion poll.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYHSIS

[06] Turgut Afsaroglu: “Where the politics ends…”.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader´s visit to Istanbul is related to the affiliation of the Turkish Cypriot Rotarians

He said: The Rotarians are holding a big meeting. The [Turkish Cypriot] Rotarians have been suddenly asked to affiliate themselves with Athens in Greece because of a long-standing and recognized problem at the international headquarters [of the Rotarians]. Thanks God, all of our Rotarians are steadfast and patriotic people, and have not fallen for this trick. The Rotarians are holding an important meeting in Istanbul. Mr Hakki Atun will go there as a Rotarian, and I was asked to accompany our Rotarians to observe the situation at close quarters. I am also sending a letter to the headquarters [of the Rotarians] to stress that such a call is totally unfair, for the social services, like the sports, is delegated to the peoples [of Cyprus] under the 1960 Constitution, they are within the purview of the two peoples, and as such it is even illegal to place these tasks under the supervision of the Greek Cypriots or Athens.

[02] Izzet Izcan accuses the Turkish occupation army of interfering in the so-called elections

Mr Izcan called on all the Turkish Cypriot political forces which support peace and accession of Cyprus to the EU to sign a co-operation protocol and stressed that the Peace and Democracy Movement is ready, adding:

If Mr Talat too is ready let us sign immediately and give the Turkish Cypriots the expected message of co-operation on 1st September, World Peace Day, in a strong manner.

Mr Izcan further said that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktas and the supporters of the non-solution every passing day and on every opportunity attack the supporters of peace and accession to the EU and call them traitors and spread propaganda that Turkey will stop sending money if the opposition wins the elections.

Mr Izcan went on saying that the supporters of the status quo are using the occupation army and bureaucrats to influence the Turkish Cypriots, and stressed:

When we went to Lapithos village, the villagers who gathered there told us: `Officers of the Unit for Relations with the public of the Security Forces visited us and asked about our needs. And while Denktas is trying to influence the public by organizing a so-called economic summit in the Karpass Peninsula with the (Turkish) ambassador and the commander by his side, nobody should turn a blind eye.

[03] The Chairman of the Turkish mainland settlers´ association met the Spanish Ambassador to Cyprus. He wants the settlers to participate in the negotiations

He went on and said: Our Association is the first mainland Turkish association that wants solution and agreement. We have explained this to the Spanish ambassador. We have a large popular support, especially from the youth, and for this reason those who support the status quo are in rage and panic. We have discussed the position that we will adopt in the forthcoming elections in December. We will support the forces that desire a solution within the framework of the Annan plan. We have clearly stressed this.

Cevikel added that the Spanish ambassador paid special attention to the Turkish settlers´ approach regarding a settlement in Cyprus.

We want a solution because we consider ourselves as Cypriots. Like the rest of the Cypriots we want our future to be settled as soon as possible. We want to know what will be our future. Our people is trying to answer the question `who am I?´ In Turkey we are treated as Cypriots and in Cyprus we are treated as Turks of Turkey. We believe that we will get rid of this situation if there is a solution in Cyprus. We told this to the ambassador in no uncertain terms and we have explained to him our objections regarding the Annan plan. We indicated that we have no problem as regards the Greek Cypriots, Cevikel said.

He also said that he had submitted a detailed file to the ambassador regarding the settlers. We want to be part of the solution and actively contribute to the settlement process. We want to be on the negotiation table as a side when settlement negotiations resume. We want to have a say when they are taking decisions regarding our destiny, Cevikel stressed.

[04] Serious animal disease is dangerously spreading in occupied Cyprus

The infectious Maedi Visna disease appeared in the pseudostate in 1998. It firstly appeared in occupied Morphou and then in the occupied villages of Nikitas, Kondea and Ay. Andronicos. The disease spread panic among the stock farmers because the so-called authorities did not take effective measures to prevent and curtail it. Stock farmers told the paper that even now the pseudoauthorities did not start taking serious measures against it and they fear that the disease will take greater dimensions.

The paper reports that the Maedi Visna disease affects the brain and lungs of sheep and goats between the age 2-4 and causes death by spreading to the whole body.

[05] AFRIKA newspaper publishes the results of a new opinion poll

This new poll, which was carried out on behalf of the leader of the Solution and EU Party, Mr Ali Erel, shows that the pro-solution of the Cyprus problem and pro-EU forces have the 58% of the votes.

The results of the previous poll are the following:

RTP (Republican Turkish Party): 27.9%

PDM (Peace and Democracy Movement): 15.7%

NUP (National Unity Party): 14.9%

DP (Democracy Party): 6.8%

Ali Erel: 6.7%

Not decided yet: 28%

The results of the new poll:

RTP: 27%

PDM: 23%

NUP: 17%

DP: 10%

SEP (Solution and EU Party): 8%

Not decided yet: 15%

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYHSIS

[06] Turgut Avsaroglu: Where the politics ends

The point the Cyprus problem has reached it is very difficult to solve through politics.

Denktas with his policy non-solution is a solution has provided major advantage to the Greek Cypriot side.

Even if a miracle happens and the opposition wins the December elections, the Greek Cypriot side, which ardently waits for the date 1 May 2004, will hardly agree to a solution based on the Annan plan.

Papadopoulos already started to uncover his real intentions. He says: I will not accept the Annan plan in its present form to legitimize the results of the occupation.

In fact the ruling Greek Cypriot circles have chartered their course years ago.

First they will enter into the EU without any problem

And then they will amend the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus under the name of harmonization with the EU and advance to the Unitary State.

Until now with the extraordinary contribution of the Ankara-Denktas duo a Greek Cypriot plan was worked with precision. And now they will not give up this strategy because the Turkish Cypriot opposition wants a solution.

In fact, their real wish is for the pro-Denktas forces to win the December `elections´.

The Greek Cypriot side, as though it is paying its due, is doing everything with its contradicting statements or with the outdated difficulties that it gives to the Turkish Cypriots at the passport or at the identity card issuing offices, to force the Turkish Cypriots to support Denktas. With this stance the Greek Cypriot side makes everything to butter the pro-Denktas forces´ bread.

One will say if politics is unable to solve the Cyprus problem what else will solve the problem? Now this is the critical question!

On 1 May 2004 when Cyprus becomes full EU member, the Cyprus problem will stop being a political issue and it will become a legal issue.

And Turkeys 1974 intervention and its presence in north Cyprus will be questioned under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee.

And they will ask Ankara: When you were intervening in Cyprus in 1974 in accordance with the Treaty of Guarantee, what was your aim, was it to occupy north Cyprus or to reestablish the constitutional order that was disturbed? Whatever answer Ankara gives to this question it will be under the yoke of the international law.

Is the question a property issue? This issue as well will be settled within the EU laws.

No one should expect that after 1st May 2004 the arrangement regarding immovable property envisaged in the Annan plan shall be on the agenda.

On this issue the EU laws are very clear. Irrespective of where the property is, whether in the south or in the north the owner is the one who holds the title deed of that property.

If the question is the demilitarization of Cyprus, again it will be settled according to the EU laws. Turkey, in order not to be an occupying power in Cyprus, has to reduce its forces to the level envisaged by the 1960 Treaties.

If the question is the mainland settlers, this, according to the Geneva Conventions, is a war crime, and since no agreement is reached these people should leave the island and go back, in line with the Council of Europe decision.

Unfortunately the Ankara-Denktas duo failed to solve the Cyprus problem through political means and they missed this opportunity. After 1 May 2004 the EU laws will be in force, this is what the Greek side wants to because the Greek Cypriot side knows that Where the political process ends, the legal process starts.

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