Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-09-01

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Statement by the Turkish Cypriot leader upon his return to the occupied areas from Istanbul.

[02] Serdar Denktas wants Cyprus to be the backyard of Turkey.

[03] Erel stated that the criticism that a solution based on the Anan Plan will abolish the pseudostate is against the declarations of the establishment of the 'TRNC'.

[04] No place of birth is mentioned on the identity cards, which the pseudostate ordered from Turkey.

[05] The Turkish Cypriot press reports that a Greek Cypriot company wants to invest in the occupied area of Varosha.

[06] Asil Nadir is reportedly returning back to London.

[07] The pseudostate distributed property in the occupied villages of Katokopia and Kyra.

[08] The three parties of the opposition will sign a protocol for co-operation after the pseudoelections.

[09] Denktas supports that Erdogan has changed a lot.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] Columnist in HURRIYET accuses the "hawks" in Turkey and the occupied areas of playing futile games.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Statement by the Turkish Cypriot leader upon his return to the occupied areas from Istanbul

He said: "My aim was to be of help to them [the Turkish Lions] if possible. I have done that. The issue has been discussed in detail. Also assessing the information they gathered at these talks, the Turkish Lions will adopt the necessary decision tomorrow. We will support them. The move to link the `TRNC' Lions clubs to Athens with a sudden decision without soliciting the views of the relevant Lions is a purely political decision, and it should not gain validity. A decision has been made [during the discussions with the Turkish Lions] to contact the Lions' international headquarters. We will follow the developments from here. Since 1964, the Greek Cypriot side appears to be approaching the Lions movement with the same mentality that it approaches the enosis movement. I benefited and learned a bitter lesson from what I heard [from the Turkish Lions]. As I said, because the contacts will now continue with the Lions' headquarters, we do not want to say anything more.

I can, however, say that taking advantage of my Istanbul visit, I held truly splendid contacts with the press. Though quite tiring, I think the visit was extremely beneficial in term of conveying [to the Turkish public] information on the issue on the Cyprus developments. I see benefit in holding similar contacts in a more extensive manner.

It seems a suffocating heat wave will be upon us. We were advised that the elderly, sick, and children should be particularly careful. I am conveying these recommendations to our countrymen. Let everyone be careful. The smokers should reduce smoking. This is most important. It is said that cigarette does double damage in heat. These are then the recommendations that I brought with me."

[02] Serdar Denktas wants Cyprus to be the backyard of Turkey

The Young Businessmen's Association of Usak (UGIAD) awarded Serdar Denktas the "Politician and Entrepreneur of the Year" prize.

Speaking during the ceremony Serdar Denktas said that the Cyprus problem remains unsolved because the Turkish side's plan for two sovereign and equal zones has not been accepted. Stating that a solution in Cyprus is not possible through surrender but through the recognition of the two communities under equal condition, Serdar Denktas said: "The Greek Cypriot side is not inclined for a solution based on equality. They rather try to create the impression that 'Rauf Denktas is avoiding a solution.' An Economic Framework Agreement was signed between Turkey and the `TRNC' two weeks ago. Any backtracking by Turkey on the Cyprus issue would push it into making concessions on other issues as well. Cyprus is a matter of prestige for Turkey. We are, therefore, inviting the Turkish businessmen to invest in the `TRNC'. We believe that the investors will turn the `TRNC' into the backyard of Turkey. The Turkish Cypriots are a community that protects its rights, demands its sovereignty, and seeks democratic freedoms. We want to prepare our Varosha region for economic development. This region of ours, with 14,000-bed capacity, remains inert. Equal sovereignty, bizonal administration, and Turkey's guarantorship are our main goals."

Serdar Denktas also said that he has witnessed peaceful coexistence between the civilian organizations in Usak and hoped this climate would also spread over the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[03] Erel stated that the criticism that a solution based on the Anan Plan will abolish the pseudostate is against the declarations of the establishment of the 'TRNC'

Mr Erel said that the Anan Plan is not contrary to the declaration for the establishment of the pseudostate and alleged that the latter is preparing the ground for the creation of a federation between two-people, within the framework of a new common establishment

Mr Erel also said that his Party works so that the Turkish Cypriots have their own separate constitution, separate Parliament, separate national anthem, separate flag and their own administration. He said that the Party also works for the recognition of the component state of the Turkish Cypriots and their individual identity and for a solution based on the Anan Plan and the acceptance of a United Cyprus Republic as a member of the EU on May 2004.

[04] No place of birth is mentioned on the identity cards, which the pseudostate ordered from Turkey

The paper notes that in this way the pseudogovernment will both be hiding the "illegal citizenships" it had granted to many people from Turkey and misleading the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus on the issue of the settlers from Turkey, assuring their being able to cross over to the free areas of the island.

[05] The Turkish Cypriot press reports that a Greek Cypriot company wants to invest in the occupied area of Varosha

According to the paper, VAKIFLAR have begun evaluating the proposals which reached them by individuals and companies regarding making joint investments in occupied Varosha. "As it has been learned", continues KIBRIS, "among these proposals there is a proposal by a company which belongs to a Greek Cypriot".

The chairman of VAKIFLAR, Mr Taner Dervis said that their aim is the operation of hotels having the capacity of 20 thousand beds, the opening of five thousand working places and giving the opportunity to 15 thousand persons to be employed in occupied Varosha.

[06] Asil Nadir is reportedly returning back to London

HURRIYET writes that Mr Nadir has already informed the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas and the pseudogovernment about his intentions. Mr Nadir alleged that the pseudostate owes him four million US dollars and asked Mr Denktas to help him in order to get this money. The pseudogovernment, however, refused to pay him. HURRIYET claims that Mr Nadir told his friends that after he is settled in London the Media he owns will continue to oppose the Denktas regime.

[07] The pseudostate distributed property in the occupied villages of Katokopia and Kyra

Speaking during the ceremony Mr Mehmet Albayrak, the so-called Minister of Interior, Village Affairs and Housing, stated that if the Anan Plan was accepted they would not be able to experience the happiness of the distribution of the building plots. He also alleged that according to the Plan around 55,000 Turkish Cypriots will migrate and 102,00 Greek Cypriots will be established in the pseudostate. He also said that the pseudostate distributed 3070 building plots until now.

Mr Albayrak refused that the distribution of property is "an 'election' investment". Commenting on criticism regarding who owns the property that was handed by the pseudostate, he alleged: "We distribute the property of the 'TRNC' and this soil will remain here".

[08] The three parties of the opposition will sign a protocol for co-operation after the pseudoelections

The three Parties will sign a protocol for the establishment of a so-called coalition government. The agreement between the Parties will be announced on Wednesday at the latest.

The paper writes that the protocol consists of three basic elements:

1) The three Parties RTP, PDM and SEUP will cooperate after the elections and will reach an agreement on the subject of a coalition "government".

2) No one among these Parties will cooperate with either the National Unity Party or the Democratic Party for the establishment of a "government" after the "elections".

3) In the framework of the cooperation and the alliance, the tree parties will avoid throughout the "elections" to say or do anything that will cause harm to each other.

[09] Denktas supports that Erdogan has changed a lot

"He supports two peoples, two democracies, two states based on the realities and active Turkish guarantees. The public opinion in Anatolia supports him. The press in Istanbul supports something else. Turkey has no chance of acceding to the EU with this population, this economy, this Anatolian culture and this religion. The EU is now bargaining with Turkey. `Now give Cyprus', they are saying. After you give Cyprus see Greece on the Aegean issue and other issues. After that the autonomy of the Kurds will follow. The structure of Turkey has no power, at the moment, to say stop to this. ."

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] Columnist in HURRIYET accuses the "hawks" in Turkey and the occupied areas of playing futile games

"How can a state mislead its citizens? The futile attempts in Turkey did not work but the players continue to play games in the `TRNC' the last stronghold of the status quo.

The deception games will continue on the island until December 2003.

The most recent two games being played in Cyprus are:

1) the Customs Union with Turkey; and

2) the newly established Compensation Commission.

The hawks in the `TRNC' and Turkey must be congratulated for strong-arming some of our ministers into signing a customs union agreement that only they recognize.

As I wrote before the agreement was signed, such nonsense will not work. According to the agreement Ankara signed in Helsinki and Turkey's Customs Union Agreement with EU, Turkey must obtain the "consent" of each EU member state to sign a customs union agreement with any third country.

Our gentlemen have been disgraced before the entire world. The same geniuses formed a Compensation Commission to which Greek Cypriots may apply to receive restitution for property they lost in 1974 and declared that the European Court of Human Rights [ECHR] recognizes it.

Most recently the ECHR ruled in favour of the Eugenia Michaelidou Developments Limited on the complaint that Turkish soldiers were using a two-storey house it owned without permission. However, because the Court could not determine the amount of rent owed it asked the two sides (the Turkish Republic and the plaintiff) to settle the amount owed between themselves (31 July 2003).

The geniuses reported this decision to the public as follows: "Between 1986 and 1996 the Court ruled in favor of Greek Cypriots who complained that their property rights were restricted. This time it did not condemn Turkey to pay compensation because the plaintiff did not apply to the newly established Compensation Commission in the `TRNC'."

In plain language our illustrious officials officially lied to the nation.

The truth is that the Compensation Commission was stillborn just like the customs union.

Turkish Foreign Ministry officials who argued that the "ECHR will make allowances on this issue" blundered together with their `TRNC' colleagues.

The `TRNC' formed the Compensation Commission on 30 June 2003 and reported it to the ECHR on 2 July 2003 [as part of an objection in the Eugenia case].

However the ECHR did not even consider this objection because it was not among the "preliminary objections" we raised years ago.

Thus this objection will never be considered in any of the cases before the Court.

Even Rauf Denktas acknowledged that these ECHR judgments could cost Turkey $25 billion to $35 billion in reparations.

Also the Turkish [ad hoc] judge [in the ECHR], Riza Tuzmen, stepped down during the hearing of the Demades case. Turkey, which has insisted that "the judgments will not be binding on us," appointed as an "ad hoc judge" Feyyaz Golcuklu, another Turkish judge as opposed to a `TRNC' judge, to replace him.

The saying, "How can you justify these pickles with your diet?" was instantly translated into all the EU languages.

The `TRNC' and Turkish hawks, who are on their last legs, are prepared to resort to any intrigue."

/SK

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