Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-10-24

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas says they made nothing that could put the government of Turkey into a difficult situation.

[02] Israeli company will transport water from Turkey to the territory of the Republic of Cyprus illegally occupied by Turkish troops since 1974.

[03] Three minor political parties to run for the illegal elections under the roof of Nationalist Peace Party.

[04] BIRLIK accuses Talat^Òs party of insincerity on the issue of the so-called citizenship.

[05] IPI drew the attention of the occupation regime to the crimes and the murders committed by the ultra nationalists in Cyprus.

[06] Workers in illegal ^ÓBayrak^Ô Radio and Television went on strike accusing it of following ^Óone-sided policy^Ô.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Commentary in SABAH accuses Mr Denktas of resorting to every means to prevent the forces supporting peace from winning in the voting.

[08] Commentary in AFRIKA criticises the statements made by the Turkish chief of staff that the Cyprus problem can be solved in one week.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas says they made nothing that could put the government of Turkey into a difficult situation

Talking the day before at Turkey^Òs Zonguldak University on ^ÓThe Developments in Cyprus^Ô, Mr Denktas noted that they struggle to prevent Cyprus from becoming a Greek island. Mr Denktas criticized the stance of the United States of America in Cyprus and alleged that this is due to the fact that the US does not want to offend Greece, which could influence the American elections.

Mr Denktas alleged, inter alia, the following: ^Ó^ÅIf Greece and Turkey agree, the Cyprus problem can be solved. In pictures taken from satellites, it is seen that there are oil deposits between Cyprus and Turkey. The real quarrel is about this. Our salvation is on the land, which is under our feet, because no country or state could exist without the land. ^Å^Ô.

[02] Israeli company will transport water from Turkey to the territory of the Republic of Cyprus illegally occupied by Turkish troops since 1974

The agreement will be singed by the General Directorate of Water Affairs of Turkey and the Israeli Company Ibar Ltd. and provides for the transportation of 3.6 million cubic meters of water annually.

The paper publishes information obtained from Anatolia News Agency according to which the water will be conveyed in containers like balloons called ^Óvessel^Ô by the use of new technology.

[03] Three minor political parties to run for the illegal elections under the roof of Nationalist Peace Party

The leaders of the three political parties gave a joint press conference at the headquarters of the Nationalist Justice Party (NJP) in occupied Nicosia yesterday where they also signed a nine-article protocol. The protocol was signed by Mr Ertugrul Hasipoglu, leader of the Justice and Peace Party (JPP), Mr Ali Riza Gorgun, leader of the Nationalist Justice Party (NJP) and Mr Okyay Sadikoglu, leader of Our Party (OP).

According to the statements made by the leader of the parties, the Nationalist Peace Party (NPP), under the name of which the three parties will seek the vote of the Turkish Cypriots, forged this alliance in order to ascend to power after listening to the voice of the silent majority which wants an alternative to the existing right-wing parties.

[04] BIRLIK accuses Talat^Òs party of insincerity on the issue of the so-called citizenship

The paper, commenting on the figures, reports that despite the much ado by the RTP on the citizenship issue recently, with these figures it is proved that during the NUP rule in five years time less mainlanders were made citizen than the 2.5 years period of the RTP.

[05] IPI drew the attention of the occupation regime to the crimes and the murders committed by the ultra nationalists in Cyprus

In its letter IPI condemned the recent attack against Murat Kanatli, journalist of the weekly YENI CAG opposition newspaper and pointed out that during this incident in the group of the ultra nationalists who had beaten Mr Kanatli was also a person named Erhan Arikli, who ^Óplayed a role^Ô in 1996 Deryneia incidents when the Greek Cypriot Tassos Isaac had been lynched and killed. IPI reminds that Arikli is wanted by Interpol for that reason and that in the past he had threatened journalists to ^Ótorture and kill them^Ô.

According to AFRIKA, the Institute refers also to the fact that recently the mainland Turkish journalist Mehmet Altan cancelled a visit to the occupied areas of Cyprus, where he would give a conference, because of threats he received by the ^ÓGrey Wolves^Ô.

IPI refers also to the murder of Kutlu Adali, journalist in Turkish Cypriot YENI DUZEN, and to the gathering the ^ÓGrey Wolves^Ô organized recently in front of the offices of AFRIKA, threatening its journalists.

[06] Workers in illegal ^ÓBayrak^Ô Radio and Television went on strike accusing it of following ^Óone-sided policy^Ô

In statements during the strike, Kemal Darbaz, general secretary of BASIN - SEN, accused ^ÓBayrak^Ô of ^Ónot broadcasting the truth^Ô, of ^Ósupporting the realities of the administration^Ô of the regime and of loosing its neutrality in a more obvious manner every day that passes after the Annan Plan was put onto the negotiating table.

According to KIBRIS, representatives from all the opposition parties and KTOS (primary school teachers), KTOEOS (secondary school teachers) and KTAMS (public servants) trade unions expressed their support to the strike.

Meanwhile, Serdar Denktas, leader of the Democratic Party and so-called deputy prime minister of the occupation regime, said on a programme he had participated two days ago that he does not watch Bayrak the personnel of which reached 1400 persons. On the same programme Mr Denktas accused its partner in the ^Ógovernment^Ô, National Unity Party (NUP), of employing people before the ^Óelections^Ô knowing that they will be dismissed. When reminded of a statement that there would be no dismissals Mr Denktas answered: ^ÓWe shall talk again on 31 December^Ô.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Commentary in SABAH accuses Mr Denktas of resorting to every means to prevent the forces supporting peace from winning in the voting

^ÓYou should be aware: The elections to be held in the `TRNC´ December 14 will create serious problems for Turkey.

That is because Denktas and his supporters are resorting to every possible means to prevent an election win by the opposition parties that want a solution of the Cyprus problem based on the Annan plan and that appear to be in the lead according to public opinion polls.

As you know their first step was to grant citizenship to settlers from mainland Turkey and to register them as voters. The latest situation on that front is as follows:

Taner Erginel, Chairman of the `Supreme Election Council´, raised the number of eligible voters to 140,832 on October 16 from 137,500 voters on September 30. He added: ^ÓThis figure does not include persons who became citizens between September 30 and October 15. They will also be able to vote if they apply to register."

This is the nub of the matter because it is known that an average of 350 persons were given citizenship per day during those 15 days. However the final number is not known because the government has kept the list of the new citizens secret and has not published them in the `Official Gazette´.

Subtitle: Blow Against National Will

Mustafa Akinci, one of the opposition leaders, has filed a lawsuit to prevent the new citizens from registering as voters, but the courts have found excuses to delay hearing the case. (Note: There is also an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights to have `TRNC´ citizens with mainland roots to be removed from voter rolls. That appeal will be taken up today or tomorrow.)

The stuffing of citizen and voter rolls was not enough. Now it is time to deploy state resources (that is the funds sent from Turkey) to "buy votes." According to reports published in the Turkish Cypriot press civil service positions that had been frozen for two years have now been opened, and more than 1,000 persons have been hired as state personnel in the last week.

Of course a big clamor has been raised not only on the island but across an axis extending from Ankara to Washington.

Moreover the warnings and suggestions that Turkey received discreetly until recently have now become more open. Here is what U.S. State Department Spokesperson Adam Ereli said: "We are concerned about reports of irregularities involving voter rolls."

Here is how U.S. Special Representative on Cyprus Thomas Weston expressed his anxiety: "We are concerned about the pressures. Observers must be present at the elections."

These sallies mean that the legitimacy of the election has already been overshadowed. A shameful situation.

Subtitle: Denktas's Guarantee

However Denktas does not seem to be perturbed in the slightest. Here is what he said when he returned to Cyprus after addressing a conference in the War Academies in Istanbul:

"I saw that the junior officers are interested in the Cyprus problem with great enthusiasm and that they discuss it in great detail. I had a private meeting with Chief of the General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. I had meetings with retired Chiefs of General Staff and commanders who served in Cyprus in the past. The commanders who served in Cyprus in the past have no concerns. They said: ^ÓWe know the Turkish Cypriots. They do not make mistakes.' I promised them that the Turkish Cypriots will not make a mistake. I explained to them that the issue before us goes beyond who will be elected to what position in the elections and that this is matter of protecting the state and preventing Cyprus from being patched on to the Greek flag."

What does Denktas mean? The answer is sufficiently clear:

--Voting for the opposition parties in the election would be a "mistake."

--However the Turkish Cypriots will not make that mistake, and the opposition will not win.

Soviet dictator Stalin once said: "It is the ones who count the votes and not the voters who are important."

All the republics in the Caucasus, from Armenia to Azerbaijan, have "successfully" applied this lesson learned from Stalin in their elections.

Is it possible that this is what Denktas really means?^Ô

[08] Commentary in AFRIKA criticises the statements made by the Turkish chief of staff that the Cyprus problem can be solved in one week

Mehmet Levent writes, inter alia, the following:

^ÓEveryone learned it now.

That Cyprus problem allegedly has one week^Òs life

The Turkish chief of staff Hilmi Ozkok, said so!

^ÓTake us to the EU and let us solve the Cyprus problem in a week^Ô (!!!)

I do not know about you, but when I read those words in the papers, I felt like a hostage held at gunpoint.

In order to withdraw its cold hand of death from my temple, in order to set me free, in order to spare my life, Turkey wants a huge and astronomic ransom from Europe: Accession to the EU.

Our situation is very crucial and regrettable like a bleeding portrait. Have you ever thought how the artists of our days would have drawn this portrait?

It means that for forty years now knowingly and willingly they did not solve this problem.They made the Turkish Cypriots suffer and pain for so many years knowingly and willingly. They feed our stomach with only a few things just to keep us alive.

We could think as much as they gave us permission to think. We spoke, we wrote and discussed as mush as they allowed us.

While we said ^Ófirst the people^Ô, they said ^Ófirst the country, the flag^Ô. They brought us to our days stepping on the blood and the bones of the martyrs.

Now they want things to continue the way they were. Therefore they came in front of us and asked for votes.

Without being ashamed and embarrassed

^ÓTake us to the EU and let us finish the job^Ô said the esteemed General.

Meaning very openly and clearly that if Turkey will not be accepted to the EU, this job will not be finished, there are no intensions for peace and solution.

The only thing we can do as our last chance is to conclude in favour of solution and EU the referendum of the 14th of December.

In order to corner them a bit more in front of the international community and the international law. If we are not able to do that we will not have any chance at all^Ô.

/SK

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