Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-12-04

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish judge at the ECHR says that the Court is not committed by Turkey^Òs announcement that the Loizidou case would not constitute a precedent.

[02] Turkish Cypriot reactions on the Loizidou issue.

[03] Gul: The solution of the Cyprus problem will considerably facilitate Turkey's EU accession process.

[04] Serdar Denktas: ^ÓAnkara should immediately recognize the Greek Cypriots^Ô.

[05] Erhan Arikli, a ^Ócandidate^Ô of Democratic Party lost his right to vote because he stated a false residence address.

[06] The Supreme Military Council of Turkey will meet today.

[07] The citrus fruit fields in occupied Cyprus have been reduced.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[08] 'We're playing extra time'.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish judge at the ECHR says that the Court is not committed by Turkey^Òs announcement that the Loizidou case would not constitute a precedent

Mr Turmen noted that ^Óthe ECHR takes its decisions freely and no one could practically or legally interfere with the Court decisions^Ô.

Referring to the future cases, Mr Turmen added however, that the Court, in case it considers this to be necessary, could take Turkey^Òs ^Ósuggestion^Ô into consideration and decide that the Greek Cypriot applications should firstly be examined at that ^Ólegal bureau^Ô in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

The Turkish judge described as ^Ópositive development for closing the case^Ô the fact that Turkey paid the compensation to Mrs Titina Loizidou.

Arguing that a serious obstacle in Turkey^Òs way towards the EU ceased to exist after the payment of the compensation to Mrs Loizidou, Mr Turmen said: ^ÓIt is good that Turkey finished this case. Not applying the ECHR^Òs decisions has been harming Turkey for a long time^Ô.

Meanwhile, according to KIBRIS, Turkish Foreign Ministry circles interpreted yesterday the decision, which the Council of Europe´s (COE) Delegates Committee adopted regarding the Loizidou case, as Turkey^Òs ^Ódiplomatic victory^Ô against Greece and the Greek Cypriot side.

The sources supported that Greece and the Greek Cypriot side exerted extreme efforts in the recent months to prevent this case from resulting in the way Turkey expected. ^ÓWe reached a result that will isolate Greece and the Greek Cypriot side^Ô, the sources said.

Arguing that the ECHR^Òs Loizidou decision ceased being on the agenda after the decision of COE´s Delegates Committee, the sources added: ^ÓThis is a decision meeting our expectations. We know we reached a successful result. We reached our goal. We could not reach a better result.^Ô

The sources said that a two-stage initiative had been launched in cooperation with the COE Secretariat and with the support of the COE´s important member countries, aiming to remove the Loizidou case from the agenda, to prevent similar cases in ECHR to result against Turkey and to direct them to the ^Óorgans^Ô of the occupation regime in Cyprus. The sources noted that this initiative resulted at COE´s Delegates Committee as it was envisaged.

[02] Turkish Cypriot reactions on the Loizidou issue

In statements during his party^Òs pre-^Óelection^Ô gatherings, Mr Akinci noted that Turkey paid the compensations not for the cost of Mrs Loizidou property, but for the fact that Mrs Loizidou cannot freely use her property. Mr Akinci supported that the non-solution in Cyprus not only will prevent the Turkish Cypriots from joining the EU, but also it will create for Turkey a huge economic burden and close its way towards Europe.

Mr Akinci said: ^ÓAfter the point where the Loizidou case came, both the supporters of the status quo and the circles which support them must understand that they will not be able to get away from the international law for the sake of preserving their sultanate^Ô.

Meanwhile, referring to the issue, Ali Erel, leader of the Solution and EU Party (SEUP), said yesterday that the problems regarding the property would cease to exist after the solution of the Cyprus problem. Mr Erel described as ^Óimportant development^Ô the fact that Turkey compensated Mrs Loizidou, adding that this has once more revealed the realities in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

Mr Erel said: ^ÓAccording to the Annan Plan, the transactions we made after 1974 will become legal. The days when our homes are not ours will be left in the past. With a solution on the basis of the Annan Pan, the property problems will cease to exist^Ô.

Mr Erel supported that in case a solution is found Turkey will get rid of great expenses. Otherwise, he added, Turkey will be forced to pay about 40 billion US dollars as compensations to Greek Cypriots, but the title deeds of the occupied Greek Cypriot properties will again belong to their legal Greek Cypriot owners.

Furthermore, in a written statement issued yesterday, Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the Republican Turkish Party ^Ö New Forces (RTP- NF), argued that the fact that Turkey compensated Mrs Loizidou proves that it considers joining the EU to be its strategic target.

Mr Talat accused those who support the non-solution in Cyprus of bringing Turkey to the point of paying compensations to Mrs Loizidou.

[03] Gul: The solution of the Cyprus problem will considerably facilitate Turkey's EU accession process

Evaluating the one-year of Justice and Development Party (JDP) being in power, Mr Gul claimed that he thought that the reference to the Cyprus problem in Turkey^Òs EU Progress Report was wrong.

^ÓHowever^Ô, he added, ^Óthere is a reality that I, as a Foreign Minister, could not ignore. The solution of Cyprus problem would considerably facilitate Turkey's EU accession process^Ô.

When asked whether Turkey would launch an initiative for the solution of the Cyprus problem until May 2004, Mr Gul alleged: ^ÓIf the Greek Cypriot side enters the EU in May, it will seem ^Ñas if it is representing the whole Cyprus^Ò and this will be a negative development^Ô.

[04] Serdar Denktas: ^ÓAnkara should immediately recognize the Greek Cypriots^Ô

Serdar Denktas said: ^ÓI do not expect a solution until 1 May 2004. Turkey will find itself in the same customs union with the Greek Cypriot side, once the Greek Cypriot side becomes EU member. If Turkey wants to continue its EU path then it will open an embassy in the Greek Cypriot side. And the Greek Cypriot side will open an embassy in Ankara .If this will be the case then Turkey must officially recognize the Republic of Cyprus with its present boundaries. That is it should recognize at the same time two states existing on the island^Ô.

He then explained how for two and a half years he struggled to secure the partial free movement to and from the occupied areas.

^ÓI fought for two years. I proposed it at the closed door session of the parliament. They have asked me ^Ñif this could be realized^Ò. We have caught the Greek Cypriots off guard. We said: ^Ñtomorrow we are opening^Ò the crossings´ The Greek Cypriots did not believe this. We, however, didn^Òt continue making new openings. The Turkish side fall a sleep^Ô Serdar Denktas said.

Serdar Denktas then propose five new openings as follows:

1. Turkey should recognize the Republic of Cyprus.

2. Free Trade between the communities in Cyprus.

3. Opening of Varosha under Turkish control and under UN supervision and permitting 25 thousand Greek Cypriots to go and settle there.

4. Restoring Turkish Cypriot cemeteries and historic places in the free areas of the island.

5. Looking for the missing persons, because there are a lot of missing persons and the people of the island are emotional.

Serdar Denktas went on and said that the ^Óparliament^Ô could not dismiss his father Rauf Denktas as interlocutor and said: ^ÓThe whole word consider Denktas as the leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community and as such the negotiator. If tomorrow either Eroglu or Talat become President then the leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community will change. Suppose the parliament after the elections appointed Talat as the interlocutor. If the world accepts this then it means that it recognizes the decisions of the TRNC Assembly as well. Hence it will recognize the TRNC. If the world will recognize the TRNC then I will as well vote for Talat in the Assembly^Ô.

[05] Erhan Arikli, a ^Ócandidate^Ô of Democratic Party lost his right to vote because he stated a false residence address

Eight members of Mr Arikli^Òs family lost their rights to vote for the same reason. According to the paper, Mr Arikli, lost his right to vote but not his right to be elected.

[06] The Supreme Military Council of Turkey will meet today

[07] The citrus fruit fields in occupied Cyprus have been reduced

As the paper writes, the producers in occupied Cyprus accused the pseudogovernment of not being interested in their problems. The producers said that their sector suffers a lot and asked the pseudogovernment to reduce the transportation expenses and equal their product prices to the prices of the citrus fruits in Turkey.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[08] ^ÓWe're playing extra time^Ô

^ÓWe should realistically read the decision of the Council of Europe about Titina Loizidou.

It would be easy to talk about the event in words such as "Turkey's victory," or "Greeks beaten, Turkey wins." Indeed there was neither a victory nor a big success.

The European Council decision was an "extension," a last warning to Turkey for a solution to the Cyprus question, or, in other words, allowing extra time for it.

Turkey has achieved a short-term tactical success and gained extra time; this is all. From another point of view, the pressure on Turkey to find a solution in Cyprus has increased a little bit more.

If a solution cannot be found by the end of 2005, there will be a catastrophe. Hundreds of cases similar to the Loizidou case will be filed with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), asking for billions of dollars in compensation. Loizidou has become an example. Taking a step backward is unlikely.

It's not only about money, but if a solution cannot be found by the end of 2005, the European court will demand the return of all assets belonging to Greek Cypriots that are currently part of the `TRNC¨.

It is obvious that Turkey will be surrounded from all sides.

What if Ankara says, "I reject giving compensation and I won't obey the decisions of the European court"?

This would be the prelude to a process that might lead to dismissal from the European Council or, in other words, it will lead to isolation.

Turkey is keeping an eye on the EU decision that will be made in December 2004. If the EU decides to begin full membership negotiations with Turkey, everything will go smoothly. But if it doesn't, there will be neither Cyprus nor Europe dreams for Turkey. In short, Turkey is playing extra time.

Subtitle: Turkey rapidly mends ties with US

Turkey is playing extra time in its relations with the United States, too. We can say many things about the Justice and Development Party (JDP) government, but no one can deny that it quickly recognizes its mistakes and tries to correct them immediately.

After running up against a wall on March 1, the government did everything possible to mend its ties with the United States. For example, after deciding not to send troops to Iraq, the government is now working on a project to send troops to Afghanistan.

The JDP, which has adopted the principle of remaining on good terms with Washington, does not hesitate to do what the Bush administration (to be frank, the Pentagon) asks it to do. The official visit that the Prime Minister is making to Washington will be the crowning touch to the relations between the two countries.^Ô

/SK

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