Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-09-12

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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 admits that whether and when to disclose his new plan is a matter of tactical calculation.

[02] The three Greek citizens who have been arrested for espionage, were ^Ótried^Ô for entering the occupied areas without showing their passports and for driving without car insurance.

[03] KIBRIS says Turks from Turkey are getting in queue for a ^ÓTRNC passport^Ô .

[04] ^ÓCitizenship^Ô is granted upon ^Órequest^Ô of the command of the occupation forces.

[05] Talat met with the Italian ambassador to Cyprus and stated that no package of proposals can protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriots prior to a solution.

[06] Talat stated that a date for a referendum will be set right after the pseudoelections.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Columnist in MILLIYET says Denktas is under pressure like last April and for this reason he is preparing a new plan.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader admits that whether and when to disclose his new plan is a matter of tactical calculation

^ÓI want to say a few words regarding Papandreou's visit. Before arriving, he announced that he wanted to meet the Turks, whom he described as citizens of Cyprus. And the known party leaders, whom he described as citizens of Cyprus, joined him at the Ledra Palace event. We hope these party leaders unhesitatingly told Papandreou that they are attending the meeting not as citizens of Cyprus but as party leaders who, at least some of them, serve on the `TRNC Republican Assembly´ as `TRNC´ citizens. I hope, I expect, this is what they did, for the whole struggle on the island revolves around the elimination of the `TRNC´. It is a struggle to deny our sovereignty. And as if we are to be blamed for the division that they engendered over years, they are calling on us to reunify. And when we do not heed such calls they condemn us. The invitation is a call for unification under a minority status. It is not an invitation for the formation of a partnership as two sovereign peoples. If Mr Papandreou really wants the reunification of Cyprus, we believe he should avoid further distortion of the problem by directly telling the Greek Cypriot leadership that there exist two peoples in Cyprus and any agreement, or partnership, should be based on the existence of the two sovereign peoples.

I felt the need to say all these, for again an attempt is being made to convey wrong messages to our people with the claim that everyone is making an effort for peace. As if there is anyone in Cyprus averse to peace and EU accession. The EU issue is linked to Turkey's sovereign rights and to the Turkish-Greek balance over Cyprus. This is enshrined in the 1960 agreements. This balance is Turkey's right and necessary for our protection. The Greek Cypriots applied to the EU to disrupt this balance. In disregard of its own signature under the 1960 agreements, Greece continues to fully support this illegal application in violation of those agreements. Whereas, Greece should not base its policy on calls on the Turks to reunify and on the blabber that Denktas does not want reunification and peace. We want peace, but we want it on the basis of two sovereign peoples. Two states have already been formed and we accept that these two should form a new partnership. And it should also be known that we cannot forgo Turkey's effective and de facto guarantorship. Greece too says frequently that the 1960 guarantees are still in force, and sometimes remembers being a guarantor itself.

The guarantee agreement and guarantorship cannot endorse the deceptive and illegal application made to the EU by the Greek Cypriots. For this application is incongruent with those agreements. It is a purposeful political application. It is an application made to disrupt the Turkish-Greek balance over Cyprus. And as such, our national duty would be to see to it that this balance is not disrupted and Turkey's rights over Cyprus, at par with Greece's, are not eliminated. This is the core of the struggle. And I repeat, the upcoming elections have nothing to do with the EU or the Annan plan, it is a struggle between those who uphold the statehood and those who reject it. It is a struggle about whether or not to follow the path shown by Simitis, Papandreou, Christofias, and Papadopoulos. We are not taking the path shown by these people, for we know why they have set out on this course. It is to Hellenize Cyprus, to turn it into a Greek island. Simitis already declared that joining the EU under the present conditions means indirect enosis [union with Greece]. Whereas, we will enter the EU in conjunction with Turkey by standing on our own feet and by achieving the recognition of our status. Ours is a job of patience and logic, and the path before us is the common path, the national path, of the Turkish nation. I felt the need to repeat this.

Question: Is there a possibility of disclosing the alternative plan prepared with Turkey in the near future?

Answer: It is a matter of timing and completion. We have something that we have prepared. Turkey will probably have a look at it and express its opinion within the context of its own outlook. All this will be done soon. But when to disclose, and whether to disclose it, when the EU, in a final mistake, declares the admittance of the Greek Cypriots under the name of Cyprus--that is, whether to disclose it as a retaliation and alternative to that--or just before or after the elections will be a matter of tactical calculation. Naturally all these will also be discussed in our ^ÓAssembly^Ô and taken up with Turkey and compared with the latter's position. This is how it would be finalized. The point here is that the Turkish Cypriots are not without alternative. This has to be grasped well. Those who feel anxious about being left out in the cold with the fear that the Greek Cypriots and Cyprus are being admitted into the EU should not feel so. For, if moved by this anxiety they rush after the Greek Cypriots or take to the road shown by Simitis, Christofias, and others they would be taking an irremediable step, for the devil takes a hand in a work hastily done. And that irremediable step would be the destruction of the Turkish Cypriots.^Ô

Question: How do you assess today's press reports to the effect that the Turkish Foreign Minister has told the EU ambassadors that the Customs Union Framework Agreement is devoid of content?

Answer: The term devoid of content probably refers to the fact that work is still continuing to fill in the agreement. Naturally the agreement will be filled in over time. Gul said he would not send it to the parliament in its present shape. Of course, in its present form it is not in a state to go to the parliament. As such, Mr Gul has simply been underscoring a known fact. Already, the entire Europe has been told that the purpose of the agreement was to prepare the Turkish Cypriots too for Europe. If this agreement is not going to be implemented, then we should immediately declare our region an open market, a free zone. We are discussing all these with the Turkish government. Let no one worry or get anxious, or attempt to deceive our people by distorting the meaning of a single word.

[02] The three Greek citizens who have been arrested for espionage, were ^Ótried^Ô for entering the occupied areas without showing their passports and for driving without car insurance

The paper writes that at the ^Ócourt^Ô no charges regarding conducting espionage were filed against the three Greek citizens, who were released on five billion Turkish liras bail.

[03] KIBRIS says Turks from Turkey are getting in queue for a ^ÓTRNC passport^Ô

Mr Metin Fahrioglu, so-called director of the ^Óemigration department^Ô, told KIBRIS that this is a normal situation and added that the people standing in queue seem to be a lot because the ^Ódepartment^Ô is small.

People told KIBRIS that the queues are mainly consisting of Turks from Turkey who want to take ^Ópassports^Ô so that they are allowed to vote in the December ^Óelections^Ô.

[04] ^ÓCitizenship^Ô is granted upon ^Órequest^Ô of the command of the occupation forces

The document, which the paper is publishing, is a letter by the ^Ódirector^Ô of the ^Óemigration department^Ô, Mr Metin Fahrioglu, to the so-called ministry of internal affairs regarding a person named Afize Guler, born in Izmir in 1966.

The letter sent on 25 March 2003 says that the above-mentioned person lived in occupied Cyprus since before 30.07.1991. He had taken permission to work, but now he has no permission to stay there. ^ÓHis application for citizenship has been accepted upon request by the command of our Security Forces^Ô, notes the letter adding that the ^Ópolice and security reports^Ô regarding the above-mentioned person are positive.

[05] Talat met with the Italian ambassador to Cyprus and stated that no package of proposals can protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriots prior to a solution

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Talat stated that no package of proposals can protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriots prior to a solution of the Cyprus problem. Stressing that ^Óthe Turkish Cypriots struggle against bad economy and isolation from the rest of the international community^Ô, he said that no measure of any kind will be enough to protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriots without a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Referring to the forthcoming December ^Óelections^Ô of the pseudostate, Mr Talat said that the main theme at the ^Óelections^Ô will be the Cyprus problem and the island^Òs future as regards EU membership. He also repeated his party^Òs call for a solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the Annan plan which, he stated, will safeguard the Turkish Cypriot side^Òs political equality.

On his part Mr La Francesca stated that his country always followed developments in the Cyprus problem closely and stressed the need for the Cyprus problem to be solved.

[06] Talat stated that a date for a referendum will be set right after the pseudoelections

Mr Talat stated that a date for a referendum will be set right after the forthcoming December ^Óelections^Ô of the pseudostate and stressed that at the same time Mr Annan will be informed that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready to discuss the Cyprus problem. Mr Talat also said that this will be done together with Turkey and stated that he informed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Mr George Papandreou, regarding this issue during the meeting they had on Wednesday.

Referring to the relation between the pseudostate and Turkey, Mr Talat said that he recognizes Turkey to be the father and the pseudostate to be the child. He also stated that the reason why the pseudostate ^Ódid not come of age^Ô, as he said, it was because it received money from Turkey.

Mr Talat also said that ^Óthe Turkish Cypriots live the most critical period of their history^Ô and he stressed that the Cyprus problem came to its last stage and there is no after May 2004 period for the Turkish Cypriots in case a solution is not found. He also said that after this date the Greek side, along with the other members of the EU, will discuss the membership of Turkey to the EU and stressed that in order for Turkey to start talks with the EU, the Cyprus problem must be solved.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Columnist in MILLIYET says Denktas is under pressure like last April and for this reason he is preparing a new plan

The Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktas thwarted the Greek Cypriot side's plan by opening the ^ÓTRNC^Ô's border crossings amid attempts designed to drive him into a corner through intensified internal and external pressure.

It came as a surprise not only to the Greek Cypriot side, but also those in Turkey, who had put their weight behind the attempts aimed at finding a solution biased towards the Greek Cypriots.

The Greek Cypriot administration, which vacillated for a long period because of the step taken by Denktas, as well as its supporters at home and abroad were eventually forced to shelve their thesis that the ^ÓTRNC^Ô would be deserted and everybody would flee to the Greek Cypriot side if the border crossings were opened.

Nowadays, Denktas and the ^ÓTRNC^Ô are going through a similar process.

Pressure is coming from the same sources.

Denktas, who is an experienced leader, plans to take another surprising step akin to his decision to open the border crossings. Revealing his plan, he implied that he could make new overtures similar to those he made on 23 April 2003.

The ^ÓTRNC President^Ô intends to unveil a new plan as an alternative to Annan's plan, although Denktas' plan will draw on the latter. Officials in the ^ÓTRNC^Ô and Ankara are working on the blueprint, which is called the "Denktas' plan."

The framework of the new plan, which Denktas intends to put forward as an alternative to Annan's plan, can be summarized as follows:

1. A confederal system of government made up of two equal states,

2. A Presidential Council consisting of eight members, including five Greek Cypriots and three Turkish Cypriots,

3. Alternating presidency,

4. A bicameral parliament consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate. There will be a proportional distribution of seats in the House of Representatives while the two sides will be equally represented in the Senate.

5. The Turkish Cypriot side will accept to retain 29 percent of the Cypriot territory after redistribution of land.

6. Morphou will remain in the Turkish Cypriot side while Varosha will be handed over to the Greek Cypriot side on condition that 15,000 Turkish Cypriots living in the settlements in its vicinity are not forced to leave their homes.

7. People, who have emigrated from Turkey and acquired ^ÓTRNC^Ô citizenship, will be allowed to remain in the ^ÓTRNC^Ô.

Denktas believes that the proposal that the Greek Cypriots, who may migrate to the North if the two sides reach an agreement, should be allowed to vote in elections in the North is unacceptable. Instead, he says, it would be more realistic if the Greek Cypriots resettled in the North vote in elections held in the South.

An eventual settlement would also be important from the standpoint of Turkey's accession to the EU. During his recent visit to Italy, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul hinted that there could be a linkage between the Cyprus question and Turkey's admission to the EU, saying that they could unveil new decisions during his forthcoming visit to Greece in October.

Both Turkey and the ^ÓTRNC^Ô are aware of the fact that finding a lasting solution in Cyprus would be a crucial factor in the process of joining the EU. Denktas has even emphasized that Cyprus could join the EU as a whole if a timetable in parallel with Turkey's admission was followed.

On the one hand, Denktas is urged to sit down at the negotiating table for reaching a compromise, but on the other, there are attempts designed to confront him with a situation similar to that faced by Arafat and this is regarded as a great paradox.

How could Turkey and the ^ÓTRNC^Ô benefit from attempts designed to weaken Denktas' hand while pushing him to the negotiating table? Statements and attitudes, which create the impression that Ankara is not behind Denktas in the negotiation process, give rise to the question whether there are some plans and promises to be fulfilled after the election to be held in the ^ÓTRNC^Ô in December.

/SK

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