Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-09-08

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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 leader wants an agreement based on the realities of the Turkish invasion and occupation.

[02] New opinion poll on the so-called elections in the occupied areas.

[03] Turkish settlers from Black Sea claim that they are not visitors in Cyprus.

[04] AFRIKA newspaper reports that Gul is warning EU not to interfere in the ^Óelections^Ô in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[05] ^ÓFreedom to the gamblers, obstacle to the peacemakers^Ô.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader wants an agreement based on the realities of the Turkish invasion and occupation

^ÓTheir [Greek Cypriot] application to the EU aims at eliminating Turkey's rights over Cyprus. Cyprus cannot join the EU without Turkey. This is stipulated by Turkey's legal right. Yet, they trampled upon that right and applied to the EU backed by Greece's blackmail and Britain's perfidy. They did so just to trample upon that right. And the day they indeed do trample upon that right, Turkey's rights over Cyprus would become questionable. This is the game. Clerides already declares openly that the EU accession would render the Turkish guarantorship ineffectual, for the Annan plan itself renders it completely ineffectual and worthless, and all the refugees will secure the right of return, for the Annan plan also provides for this. This is the game.

So, when we look around we see that we are being invited into this beautiful path--beautiful path for the Greeks, that is--by Simitis and also by Christofias, the head, or the General Secretary of the Communist AKEL [Progressive Party of the Working People], and currently the speaker of the House. Christofias says that as communists they cannot ideologically fit into Europe's capitalistic fabric, but they have to do this sacrifice for the sake of the national cause. My dear brothers, take note of this utterance by the communist party, whose ideology is incongruent with the EU ideology, about joining the EU for the sake of the national cause. And what is this national cause? The answer to that you already provided by your lives over years. It is to Hellenize Cyprus and remove Turkey from Cyprus. An invitation to us to take this path also comes from Papadopoulos, who says: I never liked this Annan plan, it may even lead us to partition, it should be amended, but if Denktas decides not to amend it or temper with its philosophy--take notice, if its philosophy is not tempered with--and accepts it as it is then I will endorse the plan, in which case we all can join the EU happily.

And now they are making plans and programs on how to offer EU deputyship to the Turks, how to gather us under their own parties, and how to relegate us into nullity as a community and people. And they are doing this with the help of our own people [the opposition parties]. Simitis, Christofias, and Papadopoulos, the three colossi so enamored with the Turks, beckon us to take the enticing road. But when we look at Anatolia, at Turkey, do we see anyone there telling us to take that road? Some of the media may say so. The media is free and can write whatever it wants or fancies. But what does the Turkish government say? It says the Annan plan can take us nowhere. It says the Cyprus problem can only be solved on the basis of realties. This is what has been said by every government past and present. And the Turkish Prime Minister [Erdogan] has listed these realities. What are they? That there exist two peoples, contrary to the Greek Cypriot claim that only one people exists. That there are two democracies, contrary to the Greek Cypriot claim that 80 percent and 20 percent cannot be equal and an agreement should be arranged accordingly. That there exist two states.

The existence of the two states with all their attributes is obvious enough. But the Greek Cypriots claim the Turkish Cypriot state does not exist as the world recognizes only their own state. What is the point of world recognition if the world cannot make them the government of all Cyprus. And will it be able to do it in another 40 years? No, it will not. If so, the only path is to reach an agreement. But for there to be an agreement these realities have to be accepted. And the way to make the Greek Cypriots and the EU accept these realties is to show that we are determined to stand up for our statehood and sovereignty and Turkey's effective and de facto gaurantorship.

They say the EU would admit the Greek Cypriots in May. If it does, it would be committing a truly shameful act, the formidable Europe will be committing an illegal act. Still, they may admit them. This is politics after all. But they are aware that they are doing something illegal, they feel ashamed and uncomfortable about it, they wriggle about like a snake, and are pressuring us into nodding our consent to the legalization of the illegal application submitted by the Greek Cypriots.^Ô

[02] New opinion poll on the so-called elections in the occupied areas

Taking the lead with a big difference in the opinion survey are the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) and the Joint Forces, the Peace and Democracy Movement (PDM) and the Solution and EU Party (SEUP). The three parties decided to cooperate, to join forces and act together to do away with the status quo so as to lead Cyprus toward a solution and the EU.

The KADEM surveyors met face-to-face with 1,585 people in 67 villages and town quarters. Some 52.1 percent of the voters said they would vote for the peace forces, pledging to bring about a solution and EU membership. The peace forces are expected to jump further ahead as the elections draw closer.

Only three months to the elections, the 1,585 persons were picked for the public opinion survey in such a way as to represent a cross section of the total electorate.

The people were asked in the course of the survey how much importance they attached to the elections, for which party they planned to vote and, if they were still undecided, to which party they thought they were close.

Subtitle: Percentage of votes received by the parties

The results of the survey show that the RTP-Joint Forces, led by Mehmet Ali Talat, emerged as the leading party with 30.6 percent.

The National Unity Party (NUP), senior partner in the coalition, led by Dr. Dervis Eroglu, ranked second with 22.9 percent. The Peace and Democracy Movement (PDM), led by Mustafa Akinci, got the third place with 15.1 percent.

The Democratic Party (DP), junior partner in the coalition ^Ógovernment^Ô, led by Serdar Denktas, ranked fourth with 9.1 percent. The Solution and EU Party (SEUP), led by Ali Erel, received 6.4 percent. The Justice and Peace Party (JPP), led by Dr. Ertugrul Hasipoglu, got 0.8 percent, which is below the 5.0 percent election threshold. The Nationalist Justice Party (NJP), led by Ali Riza Gorgun, too got 0.8 percent, and the Cyprus Justice Party (CJP), led by Oguz Kalelioglu, 0.2 percent.

Subtitle: Some 7.6 mixed votes

Of those interviewed, some 7.6 percent said they would vote for a mixed list of candidates.

When asked for which party they would vote in the elections, some 6.3 percent responded: "No idea/no reply."

Subtitle: Some 15.2 percent undecided votes

In the KADEM survey, completed at the end of August, some 15.2 percent of those interviewed said they had not yet decided for which party they would vote. In order to get an idea as to how the 15.2 percent of undecided votes would reflect on the ratio of the votes the political parties would win, the voters were asked: "If you are undecided as to which party you would vote for, can you name the party to which you feel close? The ratios figured out from the responses given to this question were proportionately divided among the parties in order to arrive at the final percentages.

The ratio of the voters who have not yet made a firm decision, but appear to be close to a given party totals 8.9 percent. The total percentage of the votes of the parties was figured out after distributing the 8.9 percent proportionately.

Subtitle: Importance of the ^Óelections^Ô

The voters were also asked questions about the importance of the elections to be held in December. The overwhelming majority of the voters are united in the view that the December 2003 ^Óparliamentary elections^Ô are of vital importance. Some 68.4 percent said, "the elections are of vital importance," while 15.6 percent described the elections as "somewhat important." Those viewing the elections as "not important" totaled 4.0 percent, and those who said, "the elections are of no importance at all" totaled 10.7 percent.

The following chart indicates the responses to the question, "For which party do you plan to vote in the elections to be held in December 2003? If undecided, mention the party to which you feel you are close."

Political party       Percentage     Added Percentage    Total
RTP-United Forces       28.6               2.0           30.6
NUP                     20.8               2.1           22.9
PDM                     14.0               1.1           15.1
DP                       7.8               1.3            9.1
SEUP                     5.5               0.9            6.4
JPP                      0.6               0.2            0.8
NJP                      0.7               0.1            0.8
CJP                      0.2               0.2
Mixed ballot             6.6               1.0            7.6
No idea/no response      6.3               6.3

Those interviewed were also asked how they viewed the December ^Óelections^Ô. Responses:

These elections are of vital importance      68.4 percent
Somewhat important                           15.6 percent
Not important                                 4.0 percent
Not important at all                         10.7 percent
No idea/no response                           1.3 percent

[03] Turkish settlers from Black Sea claim that they are not visitors in Cyprus

Talking yesterday at the annual gathering of the settlers form Black Sea in occupied Halevka in Kyrenia area, Mr Colak alleged, inter alia, the following: ^ÓSome people should very well know that the 34 % of the territory of this island belong to the wakf religious foundation. No one should make policy against us. We are not guests here. The people from the Black Sea should die first, in order for the flag to be lowered^Ô.

So-called assembly ^Óspeaker^Ô Vehbi Zeki Serter, ^Óprime minister^Ô Dervis Eroglu, ^Ódeputy prime minister^Ô Serdar Denktas and officials from Turkey^Òs ^Óembassy^Ô to occupied Nicosia attended the gathering.

[04] AFRIKA newspaper reports that Gul is warning EU not to interfere in the ^Óelections^Ô in the occupied areas of Cyprus

The paper comments that the Turkish Minister who said: ^ÓThere should be no interference in the ^ÑTRNC elections´^Ô, is actually warning the EU not to interfere in the coming ^Óelections^Ô and not for Turkey not to interfere.

Gul made this statement after Denktas complained that the EU would interfere in the ^Óelections^Ô with its money. The paper continues and adds that Mr Gul said that Turkey will not interfere in the elections to be held in the ^ÓTRNC^Ô, that nobody should interfere, and that they will be honest ^Óelections^Ô.

[05] ^ÓFreedom to the gamblers, obstacle to the peacemakers^Ô

As the paper reports the campers faced harassment from the ^Ópolice^Ô and were not left alone all day long during the first day of the camping. Following this, Mr Cem Ozyigitler, so-called head inspector of the occupied Morphou ^Ópolice^Ô visited the camping place at 10:15 on Saturday evening and announced to the camping participants that the ^Ópolice^Ô would make an operation against the camping at 10:30. After this development the Greek Cypriot campers abandoned the area and returned to the free areas, while the Turkish Cypriots remained in the area and protested.

In addition, as ORTAM (07.09.03) reports, Mr Murat Kanatli, speaking in the name of the Organization at Turkish Cypriot SIM FM Radio station, strongly criticized the pseudopolice´s behavior. ^ÓThose who tolerate the gamblers who stay over the night, cannot show tolerance to those who camp for peace^ÅThis way they show the state of democracy in our ´country´^ÅWe will use our democratic rights to the end^ÅWe are against any occupation based on war and violence^Ô, stressed Mr Kanatli.

/SK

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