Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-05-03

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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 statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, as regard Cyprus EU accession.

[02] Erdogan stated that nothing can be achieved by not recognizing the Republic of Cyprus.

[03] Mr Rauf Denktas has sent a 20-page letter to President Sezer demanding the recognition of his illegal regime; Turkish Cypriot writer says that such a development equals to the division of Cyprus.

[04] Thousand of Turkish Cypriots participated on the 1st of May rally which was transformed into a pro-solution meeting.

[05] ZAMAN: Azerbaijan took the first step for starting flights to and from occupied areas.

[06] Azerbaijan President Aliyev condemns the Azeri deputies who did not vote for Turkish Cypriots participation in the council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly.

[07] Turkish Cypriot chambers of commerce and industry have undertaken initiatives for lifting the so-called embargoes against the Turkish Cypriots.

[08] Gul met with the USA and the UK envoys to discuss the recent Cyprus developments.

[09] The son of a Turkish Cypriot businessman was assassinated by unknown persons.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, as regard Cyprus EU accession

Following is the Foreign Ministry´s statement: "The Greek Cypriots, who will join the EU on 1 May 2004, have no authority to represent the whole of Cyprus or the Turkish Cypriots. They cannot claim authority, jurisdiction or sovereignty over the Turkish Cypriots, who have equal status, or over the entire Island of Cyprus. They cannot impose the Republic of Cyprus on the Turkish Cypriots. Thus, the Greek Cypriots who organized themselves under their own constitutional order and within their boundaries cannot be the legitimate government representing the whole of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriots.

In view of these facts and circumstances, it is only the Greek Cypriots who will enter the EU on 1 May 2004 under the terms of the Accession Treaty of 16 April 2003, which was based on a political and legal situation of a divided Island and consequently does not allow for accession of a united Cyprus to the EU. Thus, an international conflict is inevitably being imported into the European Union."

"Ten new members will be joining the EU on 1 May 2004. The unique case of Cyprus, which will become a member of the EU, is recognized in the report of the U.N. Secretary-General of 1 April 2003, which was endorsed by the UN Security Council, in the following terms: Cyprus is unique among EU candidate countries as a standing item on the Security Council agenda and emerging from a context of conflict.

"The last round of efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement to reunify the Island was conducted under the good offices mission of the UN Secretary-General as of 1999. The main objective of this endeavor was to enable the Turkish Cypriot side and the Greek Cypriot side to reach a comprehensive settlement and bring into being a new state of affairs in Cyprus. It was considered that such a solution before 1 May 2004 would be in the interest of all concerned, and in the interest of international peace and security. It would have constituted the only means by which Cyprus could enter the European Union united on 1 May 2004".

"The European Union has repeatedly expressed its strong preference for the accession of a reunited Cyprus and its support to the good offices mission of the U.N. Secretary-General and has made specific commitments to encourage and promote such an outcome."

During the final round conducted in Switzerland on 31 March 2004, the U.N. Secretary-General finalized the plan on the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem to be submitted on each side for approval at separate and simultaneous referenda, in close consultation with the two parties in Cyprus and with Greece and Turkey."

"The Foundation Agreement envisaged the establishment of a United Cyprus, based on a new bizonal partnership, with a federal government and two constituent states, namely the Greek Cypriot State and the Turkish Cypriot State. It is stipulated that the Constituent States are of equal status, each of them exercises its authority within its territorial boundaries."

"Furthermore, the Main Articles of the Foundation Agreement envisaged that the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots affirmed that Cyprus is their common home and acknowledged each other's distinct identity and integrity and that their relationship is not one of majority and minority but of political equality, where neither side may claim authority or jurisdiction over the other."

"The EU Commission was present at the final stage of the negotiations in Switzerland and the EU commitments with regard to the comprehensive settlement were agreed upon between the parties and the EU Commission," in the agreed text it was explicitly stated that the basic principles of the EU have found their expression in the Foundation Agreement which introduced a new state of affairs in Cyprus and allows its peaceful integration into the EU. In this context, the political equality of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and the equal status of the two constituent states were also underlined.

It was agreed to put the comprehensive settlement to separate simultaneous referenda, in order to enable the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots to exercise their inherent constitutive power, and adopt a settlement by their free and democratic, separately expressed common will.

The referenda were held in Cyprus on 24 April and overwhelming majority of Turkish Cypriots voted in favor of the UN Secretary-General's settlement plan which would have allowed for a united Cyprus to join the EU on 1 May 2004. However, the Greek Cypriots rejected it with a 75 percent majority, and efforts to allow a unified Cyprus to join the EU thus failed. In consequence, the Comprehensive Settlement Plan of the U.N. Secretary-General has become null and void, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Plan.

The Turkish Cypriot people have exercised their inherent constitutive power and expressed, through transparent and democratic process of referendum, their wishes for their political future within the EU as constituent partner of a united Cyprus. It is now incumbent on the EU to acknowledge and act upon the free and genuine expression of the will of the Turkish Cypriot people in this regard.

The separate simultaneous referenda held in Cyprus on 24 April 2004 underline the fact that there exist two separate peoples on the island, neither of which represents the other.

Consequently, it would constitute an untenable claim that there is a single authority to represent the whole island, disregarding the reality that any solution on the island requires the consent of both sides.

In view of these facts and circumstances, it is only the Greek Cypriots who will enter the EU on 1 May 2004 under the terms of the Accession Treaty of 16 April 2003, which was based on a political and legal situation of a divided Island and consequently does not allow for accession of a united Cyprus to the EU. Thus, an international conflict is inevitably being imported into the European Union."

The Greek Cypriots, who will join the EU on 1 May 2004, have no authority to represent the whole of Cyprus or the Turkish Cypriots. They cannot claim authority, jurisdiction or sovereignty over the Turkish Cypriots, who have equal status, or over the entire Island of Cyprus. They cannot impose the Republic of Cyprus on the Turkish Cypriots. Thus, the Greek Cypriots who organized themselves under their own constitutional order and within their boundaries cannot be the legitimate government representing the whole of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriots.

Turkish Cypriots, as a people who organized themselves under their constitutional order within their territorial boundaries, exercise governmental authority, jurisdiction and sovereignty.

Turkey's recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will remain unchanged."

"The accession of Southern Cyprus cannot in any way prejudice the rights and obligations of Turkey regarding Cyprus under the 1960 Treaties," the statement said, "the official position of the Turkish Government on the political and legal situation and circumstances that have arisen as a result of Greek Cypriot rejection of the comprehensive settlement is based on these fundamental considerations, and legal and political facts."

[02] Erdogan stated that nothing can be achieved by not recognizing the Republic of Cyprus

Erdogan, who left for Dublin to attend the EU expansion ceremony, made a statement at Esenboga Airport prior to his departure. Noting that Turkey aims at getting a date for the commencement of the negotiations at the end of the year, Erdogan said the following when asked about his views on the recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration: "The world has recognized it. What can you achieve by saying that you do not recognize it? Is there such a thing?" Erdogan added that they do not intend to clash with or contradict world realities. Upon Erdogan's remarks, Gul warned that this might be interpreted as a sign of recognition. Erdogan then said: "One cannot achieve anything by saying that you do not recognize it. There is nothing to benefit from it."

Chatting with reporters later on, Gul said that issues such as the recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration as a state and its opening an embassy in Turkey require a process. Noting that they will see how the Greek Cypriots act, Gul said that no decision has been made about recognizing the Greek Cypriot administration.

[03] Mr Rauf Denktas has sent a 20-page letter to President Sezer demanding the recognition of his illegal regime; Turkish Cypriot writer says that such a development equals to the division of Cyprus

Mr Duzgun supports that in his letter Mr Denktas accused actually the government of the Justice and Development Party and expressed the opinion that the high percentage of the "yes" votes within the Turkish Cypriot community at the 24 April referendum is due to the fact that people had been deceived with promises that in case of a solution they would move in villas.

According to Mr Duzgun, the aim of Mr Denktas with this letter is to bring the Erdogan government into a difficult situation in the internal politics of Turkey. Mr Duzgun claims that the vision of Mr Denktas is not the same with the vision of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots, who want the lifting of the so-called embargoes and the end of the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot journalist Asim Akansoy, writing Turkish Cypriot daily YENI DUZEN newspaper (02.05.04), says that the recognition of the Turkish Cypriot self-proclaimed state "is the other name of the division" of Cyprus. "Aiming the recognition of the TRNC is the vain dream of the supporters of the status quo", notes Mr Akansoy underlining that such a demand "is not valid from the point of view of the international law".

[04] Thousand of Turkish Cypriots participated on the 1st of May rally which was transformed into a pro-solution meeting

The Turkish Cypriots who participated in the rally declared that they are in favour of a solution in Cyprus and they held banners in Turkish and Greek languages in which it was written the following: "Unity, Struggle, Solidarity", "Peace in Cyprus cannot be prevented", "Denktas - Papadopoulos resign", "Common country, common struggle", "YES", "Yes to the solution, yes to the future".

Speaking at the rally the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP), Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, stated that the Turkish Cypriots gave a big struggle. "We showed to friends and enemies that the Turkish Cypriots want peace", he said. Speaking on behalf of the "Platform this Country is ours", the General Secretary of the RTP, Mr Ferdi Sabit Soyer, stated that "Denktas' 'hayir' and Papadopoulos' 'ohi' were united, while the island was not united", and added that because of this there was no solution for the Turkish Cypriots and movement towards the EU.

In addition Mr Takis X'dimitriou, the former deputy of EDEK and member of the Greek Cypriot Platform which was in favour of "yes" in the 24 April Referendum, as well as Mr Costis Ahniotis, member of the left initiative for "yes" in the referendum addressed the rally.

[05] ZAMAN: Azerbaijan took the first step for starting flights to and from occupied areas

Turkish Civil Aviation Authority employee confirmed the report and said that if such request comes from Azerbaijan the Turkish government will look into it favourably.

In the meantime, the representative of the Azerbaijani Airlines in Ankara Ferit Ibrahimov, had declared that he did not receive such a request. "It is the first time, I heard it I have no information", "Ferit Ibrahimov had declared.

[06] Azerbaijan President Aliyev condemns the Azeri deputies who did not vote for Turkish Cypriots participation in the council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly

"In the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly [CEPA] the day before yesterday [Thursday, 29 April], the fact that the Azerbaijani deputies were not in the hall during the voting on the report related to the participation of the `TRNC´ MPs in its sessions, created the effect of a bomb in Baku. As a result of the voting, it was decided with 44 acceptance and 32 objection votes for the MPs of the `TRNC´ to be able take their place within the Greek Cypriot delegation [not separately]. The Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused the Azerbaijani deputies of being irresponsible and gave instructions to have an investigation started about them.

Ali Hasanov, President Aliyev's political adviser, made a statement by telephone to the HURRIYET newspaper related to the upsetting incident experienced in Strasbourg and spoke as follows:

"President Aliyev returned to Baku in deep sorrow. The fact that the Azerbaijani group of deputies did not participate in the voting, saddened him and us at least as much as our brothers in Turkey and on `Cyprus´. I am declaring with full responsibility. President Aliyev did not summon any Azerbaijani deputy during the period when he was in Strasbourg. Also, there was no special meeting or reception there, which necessitated the participation of the deputies. The responsibility for the fact that our deputies did not participate in the voting belongs to them and to Aksin Mehtiyev, our Permanent Representative in the Council of Europe, who is their leader. We have started the investigation related to the incident. We will start a condemnation campaign through the press, which could go as far as 'excommunicating' them."

As for Ambassador Mehtiyev, who was accused of being totally responsible for the incident, he emerged 48 hours after the incident and made the statement, "Even if all of us had participated in the voting, the European parliamentarians would not have passed the decision. The votes were not sufficient". Amb Methiyev stated that Turkey did not inform them that such a voting would be held and said that they could not control the deputies, because they are from different political parties, and said, "Even if all of the Azerbaijani deputies had participated in the voting, it would not have been sufficient for the desired decision due to the negative votes coming from the European countries".

The Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul answered the questions of Taha Akyol on the CNN Turk television channel. Upon the question of whether or not an initiative had been made in Baku related to the Azerbaijani deputies not attending the voting, Minister Gul spoke by saying, "Our colleagues conveyed their sadness to Baku related to the subject".

[07] Turkish Cypriot chambers of commerce and industry have undertaken initiatives for lifting the so-called embargoes against the Turkish Cypriots

The chairman of the Chamber of Industry, Mr Salih Tunar commented the decision of the EU regarding the status of the Green Line in Cyprus and said that "its only positive aspect is that the citizens of the EU could cross over both sides".

Mr Tunar noted: "Our expectation was making direct exports form northern Cyprus, at least being able to make exports from the port of Famagusta and the Tymbou airport. This is not possible at the moment. '".

Mr Tunar pointed out that the above-mentioned decision would be reconsidered every two months and added that they would exert efforts to improve it.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, Mr Ali Erel expressed the opinion that some wrong expectations were created within the Turkish Cypriot community after the 24 April referendum and everybody thought that the direct flights would start the very next day.

Mr Erel said that they would try to benefit form the existing positive political climate and apply to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), so that something is added to the decision for the Green Line aiming at the improvement of the economy of the Turkish Cypriots and the beginning of direct flights from the illegal airports of occupied Cyprus.

Mr Erel supported that the Turkish Cypriots should have "reasonable demands" and added: "We called on everybody to recognize the `TRNC´. We should not have done this. We should not abandon the vision for reaching a solution and we should say that all these are temporary measures. The life of our people must be more comfortable with taking some temporary measures, but the goal should not be ignored. That is, if we say to the world to recognize the `TRNC´ or not to apply the acquis communautaire in south Cyprus, then we are not reasonable. 'I need a solution in order to be fully satisfied. '".

[08] Gul met with the USA and the UK envoys to discuss the recent Cyprus developments

Sources told the A.A correspondent on Friday that the meeting focused on recent developments in Cyprus following last week's twin referendums.

Prior to the luncheon, Gul told reporters that period of a new struggle had started in Cyprus. Upon a question about his yesterday's telephone conversation with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia, Gul said, ''I explained our rightful thesis about Cyprus.''

[09] The son of a Turkish Cypriot businessman was assassinated by unknown persons

The body of the 41-year-old Mehmet Reis was found in his FH-880 Jeep-type car at the parking lot in occupied Nicosia. According to the BRT reporters, Mehmet Reis, who was shot seven times on the head and chest, was found to be dead at noon.

/SK

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