Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-09-24

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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 Foreign Minister repeats that the Annan plan is unacceptable in its current form.

[02] Haluk Ipek, deputy of Justice and Development Party stated that the Annan Plan is full of traps.

[03] The so-called Foreign Minister of the occupation regime accuses the EU and Mr Thomas Weston.

[04] Denktas says international observers could participate in the December ^Óelections^Ô only with the consent of the occupation regime.

[05] KIBRISLI supports that the Turkish side should accept less than 29 % territory in order to get the changes it wants in the Annan plan accepted.

[06] Fikret Bila discloses the secret agreement reached between the USA and the Turkish Republic prior to the American Iraqi campaign.

[07] The pseudogovernment continues to give the TRNC ^Ócitizenship^Ô.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[08] Article in HURRIYET discloses how Turkey blackmailed the US on Cyprus before the war in Iraq.

[09] Columnist in HALKIN SESI congratulates the US Ambassador for his statement during a visit to occupied Morphou.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Foreign Minister repeats that the Annan plan is unacceptable in its current form

In his speech Mr Gul said that the Turkish government´s determination in providing economic stability and continuation of its reform efforts was yielding positive results, that Turkey was determined to start full membership negotiations with the EU at the end of 2004 and that full membership was not only important for the EU and Turkey, but also for the United States and Transatlantic relations. Gul thanked the United States for its support to Turkey on that path.

Mr Gul added that the Turkish government had also similar determination to solve the problems regarding Cyprus, Caucasus and the Middle East.

The Turkish Foreign Minister also met with representatives of associations that were members of the Federation of Turkish American Associations.

In statements Mr Gul said that the Turkish associations in the United States contributed significantly to Turkey's interest as voluntary lobbies.

In reply to a question, Mr Gul said that it was impossible to accept U.N. Secretary- General Kofi Annan`s plan which was presented as a solution to the Cyprus issue in its current form and underlined that it should be turned into an acceptable plan.

[02] Haluk Ipek, deputy of Justice and Development Party stated that the Annan Plan is full of traps

During the interview Mr Ipek stated that the Annan Plan is full of traps and that efforts are made so that a ploy, similar to what was applied regarding the island of Crete, is implemented in Cyprus. He also said that the Annan Plan aims in the long term to get rid of the Turkish Cypriots and stressed: ^ÓThis will not be allowed to happen^Ô. Mr Ipek also said that Turkey, wanting the Turkish Cypriots to claim their ^Ósoil and nation^Ô will continue to be near them and to support them as she always does.

[03] The so-called Foreign Minister of the occupation regime accuses the EU and Mr Thomas Weston

Ertugruloglu charged that the opposition is trying to put an end to the pseudostate, not to protect it. He also said that the EU believed that Kofi Annan's Cyprus plan would achieve results and therefore launched a major attack. He stressed: ^ÓWe are talking about a devious plot to eliminate the `TRNC´. The EU is behind this plot. They are trying to eliminate the `TRNC´ by means of the Annan plan.^Ô

Ertugruloglu also said: ^ÓNot only does the EU extend financial aid to the opposition parties, but it also supplies even the balloons flown during the opposition rallies.^Ô

Mr Ertugruloglu claimed: ^ÓBecause it knows that it will lose, the opposition is saying that the December elections will not be conducted fairly.^Ô

On Thomas Weston, the US State Department's special Cyprus coordinator, Ertugruloglu said: ^ÓThere is no reason for us to meet him. By accepting the Annan plan, Weston replaced former UN special representative in Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto. He is no longer neutral.^Ô

[04] Denktas says international observers could participate in the December ^Óelections^Ô only with the consent of the occupation regime

In statements during one of his meetings yesterday, Mr Denktas alleged the following: ^ÓWe have no fears. However, those who are going to come will come to our state, upon invitation of the state and contacts should be made for this. Let any official institution, any governmental institution of the EU, which want to see whether or not the elections are conducted in the right manner, send us a letter saying: ^Ñif what you are saying is proved to be right and those who support the state get the majority, then we shall recognize your state^Ò. We shall invite them and let them come. Otherwise, if you come and observe the elections and when those who support the state, the guarantees of Turkey and do not want Greek Cypriots among us win, if you do not turn to the Greek Cypriots and say ^Ñlook, this is the will of the people^Ò, then what is the use of it? ^Å^Ô.

[05] KIBRISLI supports that the Turkish side should accept less than 29 % territory in order to get the changes it wants in the Annan plan accepted

Invoking UN experts, the paper writes that the Turkish side should make more territorial concessions as an equivalent to the changes it wishes to see in the Annan Plan.

Political observers, continues KIBRISLI, say that changing the balance of the plan would not be possible and that is why more territorial concessions would be necessary if the Turkish side wishes to have some changes in the plan. The paper notes that while the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas totally rejects the Annan Plan, Turkey demands changes in it.

^ÓIf the situation could be fixed with changes, then no one can understand why Denktas does not demand changes^Ô, wonders KIBRISLI implying that statements made by Turkey^Òs Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullah Gul and Mr Denktas are contradictory.

[06] Fikret Bila discloses the secret agreement reached between the USA and the Turkish Republic prior to the American Iraqi campaign

Disclosing the said agreement under the name ^ÓMemorandum of Understanding^Ô (MOU) Bila says that the MOU was not put in force because the Turkish parliament did not pass the decree.

Bila goes on and discloses part of the agreement that mentions that the occupied Tymbou airport in the pseudo-state will be informed about the military traffic in the East Mediterranean. Bila writes: ^ÓAccording to MOU, under the ^ÓSea Operation^Ô heading section Ercan airport or the `TRNC´ was mentioned regarding air traffic arrangements. The USA has undertaken with a view to securing the sea and air traffic, to inform the officials at the Ercan airport.

Thus with this arrangement the `TRNC´, which is not recognized in the world, and the Ercan airport which is used by Turkey only, were mentioned in the official papers.^Ô

[07] The pseudogovernment continues to give the TRNC ^Ócitizenship^Ô

The paper writes that it holds a list of 299 persons who were given the ^Ócitizenship^Ô of the pseudostate and stresses that these ^Ócitizenships^Ô were given illegally and were not published in the so-called official gazette of the pseudostate. The paper writes that the pseudogovernment is determined to disgrace both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots. Among the persons who received the ^Ócitizenship^Ô is Defne Samyeli, a former beauty contest winner and television speaker.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[08] Article in HURRIYET discloses how Turkey blackmailed the US on Cyprus before the war in Iraq

The articles describe the bargaining which took place between Turkey and the United States in which Cyprus was a condition on the part of Turkey.

In the fifth article Sedat Ergin analyses a letter sent by then Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul to President Bush, which set the issue in a political framework.

The excerpt which includes Cyprus was published by HURRIYET on 21.09 03 and is as follows:

^ÓBy mid-July the bargaining between Turkey and the United States over Iraq had reached the following point:

An agreement on the surveying work [at military bases] was signed on January 11. A 150-person U.S. team departed to all corners of Turkey the next day to carry out technical inspections at bases and ports and on railway lines.

The regional diplomacy conducted by then Prime Minister Abdullah Gul in countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Syria to find a peaceful solution to the crisis did not bear any fruit. Washington was pleased that field work had begun to modernize the bases. However it pressed Ankara through all channels to obtain the approval of the TGNA [Turkish Grand National Assembly] on the authorization bills that would allow the modernization to begin and soldiers to arrive subsequently.

However there a disconnection existed between the two sides for a long time. On January 16 Prime Minister Gul sent a letter to President Bush to set the issue in a political framework.

The letter referred to the deep roots of Turkish-U.S. friendship over the past 50 years, noted that this relationship had been tested over time, and cited the Korean and Gulf Wars as examples.

Then the letter said: "Our government responded swiftly and positively to your requests in areas within its discretion as soon as it won a vote of confidence in the Assembly at the end of last year."

The Prime Minister stated in his letter that the framework needed for "substantive" negotiations between Turkish and U.S. military authorities had been established. He noted that U-2 flights were continuing, that NILE [Northern Iraq Liaison Element] (CIA) teams had crossed into Iraq through Turkey, that Iraqi opposition leaders were allowed to travel through Turkey, and that the surveying work in the bases was almost complete.

Subtitle: Condition for Northern Front: Cyprus

Then followed the most critical sentence in Gul's letter:

"In the light of lengthy appraisals, our government will take the necessary steps to obtain the approval of the TGNA at a time of its choosing for a mode of operation that would not deprive the United States of a northern option."

Gul's letter continued: "I know that this will not be easy." The letter than imposed an important condition: "There is no doubt that international legitimacy and consensus will play a determining role in the result to be achieved. NATO's support will also help this process."

Another interesting remark in the letter was: "We are doing everything we can to harmonize our conditions with your requests." With these remarks Gul kept the door open for a northern front but he made the full opening of the door conditional on "international legitimacy" even as he pointed out that the Assembly would have the final say on the matter.

The subsequent sections of the letter enumerated the conditions necessary for "harmonization." Drawing attention to the problems of the Turkish economy, Gul described the adversities caused by embargo imposed [against Iraq] after the Gulf War in the past 12 years. He said: "The embargo has had a negative impact on our social balances."

Gul's letter put another condition before Bush: Cyprus. At the end of the letter the Prime Minister asked in unequivocal terms for the support of the U.S. administration for "improvements" in UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's settlement plan for Cyprus.

Subtitle: Bush's Reply

The U.S. President replied to Gul's letter on January 22. Bush's letter created disillusion in Ankara. First, the letter was extremely brief and did not address any of Gul's conditions and expectations.

Bush first cautioned Turkey not to undertake any unilateral actions in northern Iraq: "It is very important that our troops act jointly in northern Iraq. This is the only way to prevent difficulties that may be created by uncoordinated actions."

Bush also welcomed Gul's intention to take the matter to the TGNA: "I appreciate your support for a northern option in the event of a war in Iraq."

Subtitle: Flexibility on Cyprus

Referring to the military preparations conducted jointly by Turkey and the United States Bush expressed satisfaction with the progress made and said:

"My expectation from you is that these issues be concluded in the shortest possible time."

Bush did not respond to Gul's condition on the issue of international legitimacy. What bothered Gul most about Bush's letter was that the U.S. President said nothing about his expectation of assistance on the Cyprus issue. On the contrary the letter said: "We expect the Turkish government to show flexibility on the UN plan. We believe that the February 28 deadline that has been set for a reply is reasonable."

Bush not only asked that the government "go to the TGNA without delay" on the issue of Iraq, he also demanded flexibility over Cyprus.^Ô

[09] Columnist in HALKIN SESI congratulates the US Ambassador for his statement during a visit to occupied Morphou

^ÓI meant to comment a few days ago on US Ambassador Michael Klosson's remarks. It has been almost one week since Mr Klosson, accompanied by a delegation, made the remarks during his visit to Morphou and his meeting with Morphou Mayor Mahmut Ozcinar last Wednesday.

When I read about Mr Klosson's visit to Morphou I asked myself the following question: "Is this the first time a US Ambassador has seen or shown the magnanimity of visiting Morphou?"

Truly, I have not heard of or seen any US ambassador visit Morphou until now. We should ask other people about this, too. It is possible that some have visited in the meantime. They must have seen on their visits in this town how the people were rehabilitated like birds, how they took possession of the dried-up citrus groves after a war, how they settled in houses that had no doors or windows, and how they built decent roads out of dirt roads.

Mr Klosson went and saw these places. Demonstrating his hospitality in a dignified way, Morphou Mayor Mahmut Ozcinar presented him a letter on behalf of the Morphou people, conveying their feelings and views.

"We oppose the handing over of Morphou", Ozcinar said in the letter.

Mr Klosson's words, spoken after his observations, have truly impressed both other people and me. His words indicate that he holds a realistic approach.

In a statement to the BRT [Bayrak Radio-TV], Mr Klosson said: "The United States determinedly support a solution in Cyprus. The solution, however, should never stipulate a return to the pre-1974 conditions. This should be the case."

I congratulate Mr Klosson on his words, his realistic remarks and the stating of his impressions courageously.

Viewing the issue within this context, the question I asked above arises again: "Did the other US ambassadors not have the eyes, just like Mr Klosson does, to see the realities and to report these to their government and state? Could they not have made realistic statements, and thus, avoid encouraging the Greek Cypriots in their pseudo policies?"

What I understand is that the ambassadors of all foreign countries assigned here come and go without carrying out any study that would reveal the realities and their findings. As a matter of fact, they pass their time on the Greek Cypriot side. The residences of the ambassadors and the attaches are located on the Greek Cypriot side. So are the markets from which they shop. All their neighbors are Greek Cypriots. The Greek Cypriots have embraced them like an octopus, allowing them no opportunity to view the Turkish Cypriot case realistically.

Let me outline the travel routes of the envoys coming here:

Nicosia-Kyrenia-Nicosia, Nicosia-Limassol-Nicosia,

Nicosia-Famagusta-Nicosia Nicosia-Troodos-Nicosia,

Nicosia-Larnaca-Nicosia. I am not sure whether they travel to Paphos.

I do not think they go to Lefka, our university town within the `TRNC´ borders. I do not think [they go to] evergreen Morphou, where the citrus groves are located. Even though they might come to Nicosia, they do not demonstrate the kindness to see nearby Omorphita, the walls of which pose in ruins as a war museum. They are not aware that the Greek Cypriots destroyed our houses here.

Now let us put things straight. In other words, if US President George Bush is not able to get a realistic report from Cyprus, how will he speak and what kind of a policy will he follow? If his envoys here do not provide him with the right information, and if they mislead him with biased information based on hearsay, can Bush be blamed?

I, therefore, congratulate Mr. Klosson once again for emphasizing truth and reality. Everything will get on the right course if he furthermore states the following: "We want a solution based on the principle of two states and two sovereignties. The Republic of Cyprus has lost its legal status."

/SK

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