Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-09-26

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Reactions by Akinci and Cevikel to Denktas' declared intention to open the occupied Varosha area.

[02] Abdullatif Sener says he had signed the "Customs Union Framework Agreement" after authorization by Turkey's Council of Ministers.

[03] Statements by Abdullah Gul after meeting George Papandreou in New York.

[04] The wife of Kutlu Adali says that Abdullah Catli had been in occupied Cyprus on the day her husband was murdered.

[05] The British Court of Appeal: "National People's Movement is a terrorist organization".

[06] A new newspaper went into circulation in the occupied areas. YENI CIZGI suspended its publication.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Columnist in AFRIKA supports that the US Ambassador's statements in occupied Morphou are part of a new secret deal between Turkey and the US.

[08] AFRIKA questions the role of observers in the so-called elections.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Reactions by Akinci and Cevikel to Denktas' declared intention to open the occupied Varosha area

Talking last night on a KIBRIS TV programme, Mr Akinci responded as follows to a question on the issue: "These are initiatives without result, which convince no one. These are delaying tactics, aiming at preserving the current situation.".

Meanwhile, commenting on the same issue, Nuri Cevikel, chairman of the Turkish settlers' association, criticized Mr Denktas and the parties participating in the "coalition government" of the pseudostate, accusing them of trying to use Varosha as a "weapon for blackmail".

Mr Cevkel asked from Mr Denktas and the parties, which support him to "legalize first the booty distributed in 1975" and afterwards to search for new ones. Mr Cevikel added:

".We are asking them: Have you only recently come up with the idea of opening Varosha? While there is an indisputable decision of the UN Security Council on Varosha, will you not recognize the international law as well, in the same way as you do not recognize the law in northern Cyprus? Are the efforts being exerted in order to prove to the world this illegality? Have you only recently come up with the idea that Varosha belongs to Evkaf (religious foundation)? Where have you been all these years? .".

[02] Abdullatif Sener says he had signed the "Customs Union Framework Agreement" after authorization by Turkey's Council of Ministers

In statements yesterday in occupied Cyprus, where he is reportedly spending his vacations, Mr Sener noted that there was no debate on this issue. "Whatever such an agreement means at the international level, it means for Turkey and the TRNC as well", added Mr Sener, who said he would have no official meetings on the island, but before departing he will meet the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Denktas.

[03] Statements by Abdullah Gul after meeting George Papandreou in New York

In statements after the meeting, Mr Gul said that Turkey "encourages" the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktas for reaching a peaceful solution in Cyprus. Asked whether or not his country would exert pressure on Mr Denktas in order to return to the negotiating table, Mr Gul claimed: "The decision on this issue belongs to Mr Denktas. We encourage them to reach a peaceful solution on the island. I think that negotiations could resume after the elections in the TRNC". Asked whether his country accepts the Annan Plan as a basis for negotiations, Mr Gul noted: "The plan must satisfy both sides and therefore changes on it might be made. .We support a solution, which will satisfy both sides. If the solution does not satisfy the sides it could not be lasting".

[04] The wife of Kutlu Adali says that Abdullah Catli had been in occupied Cyprus on the day her husband was murdered

Responding to questions, Mrs Adali supports that Abdullah Catli, known from his involvement in Susurluk scandal in Turkey, had been in occupied Cyprus on 6 July 1996, the day her husband was murdered. According Mrs Adali, Abdullah Catli stayed at Jasmine Court hotel, in occupied Kyrenia and used four nicknames.

Mrs Adali says that the "committee" appointed by the so-called "assembly", in spite of the fact that she told them everything she knew, has not investigated this information.

AKTUEL's journalist reminded Mrs Adali that competent persons from the hotel verify that Abdullah Catli stayed at Jasmine Court between 26 April and 1 May using the nickname "Mehmet Ozbay" and asked her if she acquired any new information on then issue. Mrs Adali replied:

"According to the police announcement, Catli used four different passports, four different names. He might have stayed (in occupied Cyprus) using these names. My taxi driver says that he (Catli) went to the airport in the morning Kutlu Adali was killed. That is, he was in Cyprus when Kutlu Adali was murdered. It is obvious from the 7 July records at the airport. My taxi driver says he recognized Catli from some pictures published afterwards. Our lawyer asked for the lists of the passengers on 7 July but they did not give them. They gave only the arrivals and the departures with the identity of Mehmet Ozbay. The records regarding the other names have recently been brought to court. It seems that they will give us the names. .".

[05] The British Court of Appeal: "National People's Movement is a terrorist organization"

The British Court took this decision after AFRIKA writer Suzan Kahraman's recourse to the Court.

The paper also reports that the British Court further ruled that the NPM is a "state" supported organization. A spokesman for the law firm Vahib and Company has said that they "have started the legal procedure to include the NPM members individually in the international terrorists list".

AFRIKA reports that with this decision those who have organic ties with this organization or its name is mentioned with this organization, their entry to Britain or to the EU countries will be put in question.

The same spokesman has said that the ruling of the British Court of Appeal might serve as precedence in future for similar cases. The decision of the Court, reports the paper, was given ten days ago and during this time the Home Office did not raise any objections.

AFRIKA also reports that the Court has admitted that the life of the writers, journalists and reporters of the newspaper AVRUPA -AFRIKA are in danger as well.

[06] A new newspaper went into circulation in the occupied areas. YENI CIZGI suspended its publication

The owner of the paper is Open Media Ltd. The publication co-ordinator is Mr Huseyin Kaba, who was the Managing Editor of YENI CIZGI newspaper, which suspended its publication on 23 September, 2003.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Columnist in AFRIKA supports that the US Ambassador's statements in occupied Morphou are part of a new secret deal between Turkey and the US

"Is it necessary to be a prophet to be able to know that Cyprus was included in the bargaining between Turkey and the United States on Iraq?

As a matter of fact, we cannot expect the official spokesmen to disclose this sensitive issue to us.

In every agreement there is also a secret agreement.

Did the same thing not happen when the London and Zurich agreements were signed? They had made public the agreement that could be made public. They had kept to themselves the part that could not be made public. They had filed it and put it on the shelf.

We, the Cypriots, were able to learn about this many years later when it was felt there was no longer anything wrong if everyone learned about such secret information.

The case was as follows: Britain, Turkey and Greece had agreed to wage a joint struggle in Cyprus against Communism. They had signed among themselves the agreement, which was a short text, but did not disclose it to the people for one reason or another.

MILLIYET has disclosed a very important document in the past two days. This is a secret agreement [Memorandum of Understanding] that Turkey and the United States signed before the US operation against Iraq. It was signed after many days of hard bargaining between Turkish and US delegations. The 1 March motion followed. Rejection of the motion by the TGNA [Turkish Grand National Assembly] in a surprising way upset everything. The agreement could not be put into effect.

MILLIYET did not give the names of the officials that signed the agreement. It merely said, "senior officials have signed it."

This agreement contains important provisions that interest us. It refers to the `TRNC'. Reference is made in such an important official document to Ercan Airport to which no country, other than Turkey, organizes flights. The reason for this was that Ercan Airport too was being given a role to play in this war.

What would have happened if the agreement had come into effect?

Ercan Airport would have been put into service to organize the air and sea traffic in Eastern Mediterranean. The United States would have been in contact with the officials at Ercan Airport to ensure the flow of the air and sea traffic, and would have kept them informed continuously.

Would such US-Turkey cooperation that included the `TRNC' not have a bearing on the Cyprus issue?

After this cooperation, what power could have forced Turkey to sign an agreement it did not wish in Cyprus? Would it have been possible for Turkey, which insists on its conditions for separate sovereignty and separate statehood [in Cyprus], to make any concessions on these issues?

We have no reason to rejoice now just because that secret agreement was not put into effect. Everything works perfectly. The United States is pouring the money in. Some $8.5 billion will be poured into Turkey. This is not a small amount. No one gives such money to anyone without getting something important in return.

Now that the loan agreement has been signed, it means that the dispatch of Turkish troops to Iraq is definite. This time the bill will not be turned down.

Who can be sure that there is no secret deal this time too?

It appears that the United States acts in a very generous way this time when it really feels the need for Turkish troops in Iraq. Would Turkey miss such an opportunity? This is not a joke. Turkey will export its "most precious commodity." Would it be wise to be satisfied with only $8.5 billion? Why should it not demand relief on all issues on which it is hard pressed in the international field?

What did US Ambassador in Cyprus Michael Klosson say in a statement in Morphou? No return to the pre-1974 period, he said.

What does this mean?

The Republic of Cyprus is dead! Forget about it.

Now, is it necessary to be a prophet to be able to know that Turkey, in its new bargaining with the United States, has led Cyprus to the `point it desires?'"

[08] AFRIKA questions the role of observers in the so-called elections

The editorial then quotes President Papadopoulos to have said to Thomas Weston, US Special Cyprus Coordinator: "The issue is not to find observers or not, but what would they do? They say that if there are no observers there will be election frauds. I ask: on the Election Day? Cheating has already been done by putting the names of the settlers on the election lists".

The editorial then refers to the role played by the USA in the Cyprus problem and adds that what the USA wants to achieve in Cyprus is not clear yet.

"It seems that in front of the curtain it says something and behind the curtain it says something different, concludes AFRIKA newspaper.

/SK

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