Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-03-30

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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 side is pleased with the 4th Annan plan. The occupation troops will remain in Cyprus for ever. The illegal settlers will remain in the houses of Greek Cypriots.

[02] Gul asked Verheugen to make the crimes of Turkey against Cyprus EU primary law.

[03] How the local and mainland Turkish papers covered the reactions to the handing over of the Fourth Annan Plan to the sides in Burgenstock

[04] Denktas says it is early to make an evaluation

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[05] Columnist in Radikal alleges that President Bush is in trouble in Iraq and needs Turkey because of the Greater Middle East Project.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish side is pleased with the 4th Annan plan. The occupation troops will remain in Cyprus for ever. The illegal settlers will remain in the houses of Greek Cypriots

"The Turkish side has reacted in a positive manner to the fourth Annan plan aimed at solving the Cyprus problem.

Diplomatic sources have noted that the changes on political equality and security issues in the plan have been interpreted as being in favor of the Turkish side.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan submitted the fourth version of the plan to the sides concerned. Turkish diplomatic sources have said that the new version of the plan was received positively by the Turkish side. The changes made regarding political equality and security are being interpreted as being in favor of the Turkish side.

According to the new version of the Annan plan, Turkish troops will be able to stay on the island forever. The number of Greek Cypriots who will settle in the north is diminished. Moreover, the plan enables some 45,000 TRNC [Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus] citizens of Turkish origin to remain on the island. The plan also envisages 24 Turkish and 24 Greek Cypriot members in the founding state council. Concerns regarding political equality are thus dissipated.

De Soto, the UN special Cyprus envoy, said that Annan tried to dissipate concerns regarding the functioning of the state, the property and real estate issue, the economic aspect of the solution, and guarantees pertaining to territory and troops.

De Soto said that at the meeting, Annan tried to dissipate the concerns of the Turkish side with regards to bizonality, representation in the federal assembly, property-real estate issues, and the situation of the Turkish troops in the aftermath of a solution.

De Soto said that the draft was composed of 150 pages but that it ended up being 9,000 pages with the inclusion of the laws and addenda which were created as a result of the work conducted by the delegations of the two sides in Cyprus. The plan includes the founding agreement, the constitutions of the Turkish and Cypriot founding states, the agreement regulating the issues pertaining to the functioning of the new Cyprus state, the draft adjustment agreement which regulates the EU accession of the United Cyprus Republic, issues that will be submitted to the UN Security Council pending a resolution, and measures to be taken in April 2004.

Stressing that the draft that has been submitted is not the final text, De Soto said that the UN Secretary-General has asked the sides to study the text and to submit their views by tomorrow morning. He added that the final text that will be formulated by 31 March will be submitted to a referendum. Meanwhile, the Greek government spokesman said that the draft plan submitted by Annan is being studied.

According to Greek Cypriot press reports, Annan replied to the letter sent by Papadopoulos requesting that "those of Turkish origin be prevented from voting." The reply letter underlined that TRNC citizens of Turkish origin will be voting in the referendum."

[02] Gul asked Verheugen to make the crimes of Turkey against Cyprus EU primary law

Sources told the A.A correspondent on Monday that Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul met with European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen earlier in the day.

At the meeting, the Turkish side reiterated that an agreement to be reached by the sides should become a part of the primary law of the EU, and stressed that Turkey considered it an indispensable and undiscussable priority.

Meanwhile, the act of adaptation in the plan of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is envisaged to be submitted to approval of the EU Council and the EU Commission in the first stage. Later, the parliamentary process will start about the act of adaptation. However, there are some uncertainties about formation of a mechanism to protect the agreement till the beginning of the parliamentary approval process.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell earlier called Gul on the phone. During the conversation, Gul conveyed his first assessments about the draft plan to Powell.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who arrived in Burgenstock earlier in the day, is expected to hold a telephone conversation with U.S. President George W. Bush in the coming hours.

The sides have been trying to change the draft plan in line with their interest and to use their influence in the international platform to this end.

Earlier, United Nations Secretary-General Annan set March 31 as deadline to give the draft plan its final shape.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Erdogan is expected to meet with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis later in the day.

[03] How the local and mainland Turkish papers covered the reactions to the handing over of the Fourth Annan Plan to the sides in Burgenstock

VOLKAN reports under banner headlines: "We call upon our people: Not to be mislead by false propaganda". VOLKAN then lists the points that it thinks are amended in favor of the Greek Cypriots in the 4th revised Plan submitted to the sides yesterday by the UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan. It criticizes those "pro-Annan plan" Turkish Cypriots who without studying the new plan have started to disseminate the news that the plan is in favor of the Turkish Cypriots and that the Greek Cypriots have found the plan unsatisfactory. It urges the Turkish Cypriots to wait until Rauf Denktas and his team study the new plan and make the necessary announcements.

BIRLIK reports under banner headlines "The plan will bring over the Greek Cypriot sovereignty" and quotes the National Unity Party Chairman Dervish Eroglu who said that "the few minor changes to be made at the negotiation table will not satisfy the Turkish Cypriot people nor will provide for the Turkish Cypriots to live in peace. The only positive aspect of the Annan Plan is the condition that it should be submitted to referendum". Eroglu said that at this moment the plan is far from satisfying the Turkish Cypriots. "It will provide red passports to the Turkish Cypriots to pave the way for emigration", Eroglu declared.

BIRLIK further reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas and his team got hold of the new revised addition of the Annan Plan and started studying it. The paper reports that Denktas is in contact with the Turkish Cypriot delegation in Burgenstock and they are evaluating the amendments in the plan.

KIBRIS reports under banner headlines: "Here is the Annan Plan" and publishes a report compiled by its Burgenstock correspondent Basaran Duzgun, who reports that the Turkish delegation in general is satisfied by the new draft plan. Basaran Duzgun, quotes Turkish Cypriot representative Mehmet Ali Talat, who said that they are evaluating the plan and they will inform the Secretary- General about the points that the Turkish side has objections. He said that it is early to make a positive or a negative evaluation as regards the plan. In his turn Serdar Denktas said: "Both ours and our children's future is in question. For this reason one should not engage in speculations and one should not believe in lies. The final text of the plan is 203 pages and in all nine thousand pages. We will work until the early hours of the morning and we will convey our objections to the Secretary- General today.

YENIDUZEN reports under banner headlines: " Smiling faces" and says that until 31st March the sides will struggle to get the maximum for their people. The paper's Burgenstock correspondent Cem Mutluyakali is rather cautious in evaluating the content of the draft plan .He reports that everything will be clarified when the sides submit their views and the Secretary- General finalizes the text.

KIBRISLI reports under banner headlines: "'Last Day' the solution was not so much closer. Today this horror film could end".

AFRIKA reports under banner headlines: "It is the Turkish side that is happy" and goes on and reports that the Turkish side is satisfied and there is "disillusionment in the Greek side". AFRIKA further reports by quoting the Turkish diplomatic sources who say that the changes made as regards political equality, security and guarantees satisfied the Turkish side. The same sources are of the view that the changes brought about to the plan are in favor of the Turkish side.

HALKIN SESI publishes what it claims to be the draft plan submitted to the sides yesterday by Annan. It reports under banner headlines "The plan is positive" and adds that the Turkish side considered it positive but "disillusionment" was created among the Greek Cypriots.

MAINLAND PRESS

HURRIYET reports under banner headlines: "Decision in Annan plan in favor of us, TROOPS WILL REMAIN THERE" and goes on and reports that the Turkish side's demands as regards bizonality, political equality and security concerns were satisfied and accepted.

MILLIYET reports under banner headlines: "Annan has lent hope" and reports that the Secretary-General has met the demands of the Turkish side as regards the bizonality, property, political rights and the deployment of the troops.

SABAH covers the issue under banner headlines "Last tango in Cyprus" and reports that the Secretary- General expects a reply from the sides today. SABAH further reports that US President Bush and the British Prime Minister Blair have written letters to Greek Prime minister Kostas Karamanlis to convince the Greek Cypriot side for a settlement.

[04] Denktas says it is early to make an evaluation

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony of the restored Post Office Building at the Sarayonu Square in the occupied area, Denktas urged the people not to reach a conclusion on the Annan Plan by basing themselves on newspaper reports. Denktas said that the work the Turkish delegation in Burgenstock will carry out during the coming two days is very important.

"What is important is to reach an agreement that will be acceptable to both sides. An agreement that will not make the Turkish Cypriots to experience the events of the 1963-1974 period. Our delegation there is working for this. God Bless them to succeed. If they succeed so much the better .If not, we will continue to own our state" Denktas concluded.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[05] Columnist in Radikal alleges that President Bush is in trouble in Iraq and needs Turkey because of the Greater Middle East Project

"The first signs regarding Washington's demand for change in the relations between Turkey and United States were given when the Berlin wall was destroyed. Turkey was signaled the course that it should pursue in its region in order to gain influence in line with the United States' recommendations.

The summary of their proposals were as follows: "Become a moderate Muslim country. Treat the Kurdish ethnic groups with more tolerance and begin to meet their demands." These recommendations have taken place in US-based articles, studies, and books that have been published for the past 15 years in the minimum.

Despite the fact that the PKK [Workers Party of Kurdistan] was declared a terrorist organization, from time to time this organization was treated in a way that showed that it is under the protection of the United States.

The most suspicion-raising reports in this regard had been published during the period when the struggle [against the PKK] had reached its peak. These reports had said: "US helicopters are assisting the PKK." These reports had not been denied by either term Chief of Staff Dogan Gures or a great number of officers and non-commissioned officers.

Retired General Orhan Pamukoglu, who, after serving in the region for two years published a famous book entitled "There Is Nothing New Other Than What Has Been Forgotten," recalled this issue in Hulki Cevizoglu's "Nutshell" program. He said: "The incident had reportedly occurred before I served there. Dozens of officers and non-commissioned officers confirmed the allegations." A retired general who participated in the program by phone noted that he witnessed the allegations.

There are many signs that show that the United States is showing interest in parties that tend to engage in politics by making use of religion. This has been going on for many years. General Ilker Basbug, deputy chief of staff, also openly put this approach on the agenda during the press conference he held during his visit in the United States last week. He rejected the United States' demand to introduce Turkey as a "moderate Muslim country" and as an example to the countries in the Middle East.

He said: "Turkey has been a secular, democratic, and social state of law since 1923, when it was established." Ilker Pasha also criticized the United States' approach with regard to the PKK militants in northern Iraq. He asserted that the promises that have been made regarding the PKK have not been fulfilled and that Turkey is waiting to see action.

The United States or actually President Bush, who is in trouble for attacking Iraq, is in need of Turkey due to the "Great Middle East Project." Currently however, it is gradually seen that Turkey's official expert institutions do not adopt this approach. Ilker Pasha showed this during the press conference in Washington. The fact that Turkey and the United States are allies does not change the fact that both sides want to continue with these relations on the basis of mutual interests.

When we look at the incidents from our standpoint, we have to accept that it is not easy to establish balanced relations with the United States, a world superpower, and to maintain the balance of mutual interests. Political governments that have the possibility to govern the country temporarily and state institutions that will provide the governments with relevant information on the past and the current dimensions of these relations are charged with this duty.

In his statement that was based on the assessments of the Office of the Chief of the General Staff and the Foreign Ministry, Ilker Pasha has put forward the signs of the realistic approach adopted by the state with regard to this issue. "

/MD

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