Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 05-03-30

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Leader of a Turkish Political party argues that the additional protocol should not be submitted to the TGNA.

[02] Erdogan called on Tunisia to take steps in line with the UN report on Cyprus.

[03] Talat: "No power can prevent for long the direct trade".

[04] Angolemli stated that Turkey ruled Turkish Cypriots for years using Rauf Denktas.

[05] Baykal alleges that the world cannot ask anything from Turkey as regards the Cyprus problem any more.

[06] Ports are new chips for bargaining.

[07] According to poll carried out by KADEM Talat will be "elected" from the first round.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[08] Column in AFRIKA argues that the Turkish Foreign Minister's statements on the Customs Union Protocol are contradictory.

[09] A Shadow Cabinet from Denktas.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Leader of a Turkish Political party argues that the additional protocol should not be submitted to the TGNA

''The decision to sign the additional protocol would be legally and politically wrong,'' said Karayalcin.

''The Ankara Agreement of September 12th, 1963 and the Additional Protocol of November 23rd, 1970 have both been approved by the Turkish parliament. Therefore, there has not been a need to submit the March 6th, 1995 Customs Union decision to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA). At the present time, there is no technical need to submit a document, that is at a less important level, for an approval by the Turkish parliament,'' remarked Karayalcin.

''Furthermore, although Turkey has expressed that it will not recognize an entity as 'Cyprus Republic,' a passage of a decision at the Turkish parliament would imply recognition and would generate an unnecessary upgrading of the status of the Greek Cypriot administration.''

Karayalcin made a call to the Turkish government not to submit the Additional Protocol to the Turkish parliament's approval. ''The Turkish government should avoid submitting such a protocol to the Turkish parliament's approval.''

[02] Erdogan called on Tunisia to take steps in line with the UN report on Cyprus

Following their tête-à-tête meeting, Erdogan and Ghannouchi presided the meeting between Turkish and Tunisian delegations.

Speaking at the meeting, Ghannouchi said that Prime Minister Erdogan's visit would make a valuable contribution to the acceleration of bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said: "I believe that my visit is of great importance in regard to our efforts to further develop our military, political, industrial, cultural and commercial cooperation with Tunisia. Turkey-Tunisia cooperation will make an important contribution to peace in the region."

Referring to the Cyprus problem Prime Minister Erdogan said: "The United Nations Secretary-General released a report on June 3rd about his good-will mission in Cyprus. We call on Tunisia to take steps in line with the report."

[03] Talat: "No power can prevent for long the direct trade"

According to a written statement issued by the RTP, during his visits to occupied villages within the framework of his "election" campaign for the voting to take place on 17 April, Mr Talat said that the EU has no intention to shelve the issue of the launching of direct trade with the occupied areas of Cyprus. Noting that the Turkish Cypriot side insists on the issue, Mr Talat expressed the opinion that the realization of the decision taken by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EU on the issue of the financial aid to the Turkish Cypriots, the direct trade and the lifting of their so-called isolation will begin after the "presidential elections" in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

Mr Talat reiterated that putting the condition of the direct trade for the approach of ships under the Cyprus flag to the ports of Turkey was extremely important. "It is true that Turkey helps us and insists on this issue", said Mr Talat and added:

"While the new protocol is signed, we are at the negotiating point of the approach of ships under the Cyprus flag to the ports with our direct trade, which is needed for this. The European Union has already made the necessary change in its attitude and stopped insisting on the approach of ships under the Cyprus flag to the ports of Turkey. It could be considered as having made an important step on this issue".

Meanwhile, in a statement after his meeting yesterday with the Democratic Rally party leader, Nicos Anastasiades, Mr Talat said that he could call on the UN Secretary - General, Kofi Annan, to re-launch an initiative on the Cyprus problem after the "presidential elections" in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[04] Angolemli stated that Turkey ruled Turkish Cypriots for years using Rauf Denktas

"Turkey ruled the Turkish Cypriots for years with Rauf Denktas. Now it has decided to change its man in Cyprus. The person, who knows this better that everybody else, is Rauf Denktas. Therefore, because he knows it, he is withdrawing out of necessity from the position", he stated.

Mr Angolemli also stated that Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, the so-called prime minister of Ankara's regime in occupied Cyprus protects the partitionist status quo which be took over as an inheritance from Rauf Denktas. Mr Angolemli also stated that the status quo is a structure which is not compatible to the international law and has a segregationist character with a foreign control.

[05] Baykal alleges that the world cannot ask anything from Turkey as regards the Cyprus problem any more

Mr Baykal made these statements in a speech he gave to a meeting of his party where he evaluated the latest developments as regards the Cyprus problem.

The chairman of the RPP also stated that during the negotiation with the EU Turkey's position has been weakened and made the warning that the results of this development could be that even products from the "TRNC" will need the approval of the Republic of Cyprus in order to be sent to Turkey.

Mr Baykal also stated that in this point there is a concrete regression as regards the Cyprus problem.

[06] Ports are new chips for bargaining

According to the evident strategy, signing of the protocol will not change the practice of utilizing of the Turkish ports and airports. Permission shall not be given to Greek Cypriot ships and airplanes to utilize Turkish ports and airports nor the territorial waters. Turkey, in order to make an opening, will put the condition that the Greek Cypriots should take steps towards removing the isolations imposed on the North Cyprus.

According to the information from diplomatic sources in Ankara, MILLIYET reports that Turkey will let the Greek Cypriot goods´ free entry, after the harmonization protocol shall be put into practice.

The Greek Cypriot goods, in accordance with the decision taken on 20 October, 2004, will enter Turkey through third countries, headed by Greece.

And MILLIYET concludes: "Despite the claim by the opposition that protocol means recognition, the diplomatic sources note Turkey consulted local and foreign legal experts, but no one has expressed the view that "signing the protocol is tantamount to recognition".

[07] According to poll carried out by KADEM Talat will be "elected" from the first round

According to the poll, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) Mehmet Ali Talat will win from the first round of the so-called Presidential elections with the percentage of 54.9%. The rest candidates of the so-called elections will get the following percentages; the leader of the National Unity Party (NUP) Dervis Eroglu with 26.8%, the general secretary of the Democratic Party (DP) Mustafa Arabacioglu 8.9%, the leader of the Communal Liberation Party (CLP) Huseyin Angolemli 2.9%. The remaining five candidates will take votes that do not exceed the 2%.

The 59% of those who were polled replied that they do not believe there would be second round and the 41% replied that there would be.

Both Eroglu and Arabacioglu got less percentage than their parties in the so-called parliamentary elections on 20 February.

Another interesting point is that the voters' preference varies according to their age. The 71.5% of the young age (18-24 years old) will vote for Mehmet Ali Talat, and only the 13.5% of the same age group will vote for Dervis Eroglu. The 45.3% who are 55 years old and above, will vote for Eroglu and the 38.7% for Talat.

The paper will publish tomorrow the second part of the poll.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[08] Column in AFRIKA argues that the Turkish Foreign Minister´s statements on the Customs Union Protocol are contradictory

"Turkey is confused' Erdogan is confused' and Gul is confused'

This confusion appears in the statements they made on the issue of the Protocol. As if they are facing a problem of how to mislead the Turkish public. Listen to what Gul is saying: "This is Turkey´s EU Customs Union Agreement. There is free movement of goods between the 15 older EU members and Turkey. Given that 10 new countries acceded to the EU, (the Customs Union Agreement provides) for the import and sale of goods to the 25 EU member states without any barriers, and the import of goods from these, including the `Greek Cypriot sector´, to Turkey".

Immediately after saying these, Gul says the following: "There is no question of opening our ports and airports. There will simply be free movement of goods".

On the one hand Gul declares that the Turkish products will be entering Cyprus and the Cypriot products will be entering Turkey, while on the other, the ports and airports will be closed!.

Since the ports and airports will be closed where will the products enter into the country' From the sky with parachutes? Will they be falling from the sky?

Can the Foreign Minister of Turkey be so unreasonable? Is this not as illogical as saying `I sign the Protocol but I do not recognize the Greek Cypriots?´ This is like a defeated team leaving the football ground shouting victorious slogans.

The Protocol will be signed. Cyprus will be de facto recognized.

The `TRNC´ will disappear de facto. The ports and airports will open for goods to be imported. The imported in Turkey goods will bear only the Republic of Cyprus seal and not of Southern Cyprus.

In spite of all these, Abdullah Gul will stand before us and say: `We have not opened our ports and airports. We do not recognize the Greek Cypriot side'´

What a tough guy!

Really, where does Turkey draw this courage to say `we do not recognize the Greek Cypriots´ while it is preparing to start accession talks with the EU?

Does it not know that the Greek Cypriots have the veto tramp card? Does it not realize that if Papadopoulos uses this card its EU accession process will be destroyed?

How did Turkey come to feel so confident that this veto card will never be put into use?

And if it is used what will Turkey do then?

Will it turn Cyprus upside down? Will it burn or destroy it?

Will it declare its 3rd happy peace operation?

Will it close the barricades down again?

Well, what will it do?

Turkey is confused' Products will be imported, it says' but ports will be closed'

Such a story we did not come across not even in the `One thousand and one nights´'

Have you ever seen goods being transported through closed ports?

Wait and you will see'"

[09] A Shadow Cabinet from Denktas

"'TRNC President' Rauf Denktas is getting ready to resign and leave his post. After the elections that will be held on 17 April, Denktas will be replaced by the new 'president'.

Despite the fact that Denktas will leave the post of presidency, it appears that he will not leave politics.

In his own words, he is conducting activities for the establishment of an 'above-party' organization. It is understood that he will closely follow politics in Cyprus with the new association that he will establish. The name of Denktas' new movement or organization is the 'Turkish Cypriots´ National Cause [Kibris Turklerinin Milli Davasi]'.

This organization will pursue an above-party line.

When Denktas talked about the new organization, many people recalled the 'Turkish Resistance Organization [TMT]' within the framework of which Denktas had fulfilled active tasks as a young man. There is no doubt that the organization that will be established this time is a very different organization and that it has nothing to do with those days and with that organization.

During our conversation yesterday, Denktas smiled when the TMT was mentioned and he said the following:

'There is no connection between them in any way whatsoever. We are not establishing an armed organization. This time, we will merely establish an opinion organization. The conditions of the TMT had been very different. Given the conditions of those days, the TMT had an armed wing. Furthermore, the TMT had been established together with Turkey.'

What will be the function of Denktas' new organization?

In answer to our question, the 'TRNC president' said the following:

'First, it will be an above-party organization. We will bring together well-informed persons who have made efforts for the Cyprus cause. We will benefit from their knowledge and experience. It is erroneous to push aside such persons. It is necessary to benefit from them. We will have such a delegation of wise men. We were not able to explain our history to our youths. We will enlighten our youths and we will enable them to gain awareness. We will teach them our history. We will follow politics -- with all its sides. We will brief our people. There will also be a shadow cabinet under this delegation to this end. This cabinet will follow the government and its execution. Information will be given on the national cause.'

Stating that he believes that independence constitutes one of the most important reasons behind the need for a new organization, Denktas said the following: 'I will talk to our people about independence as long as I can. We will explain that if we lose our independence, everything will be over and that independence is of vital importance for the Turkish Cypriots. We have to ensure that our youths gain awareness in this regard. We will educate them. We will ensure that they are informed about history.'

Rauf Denktas also assessed the protocol that will expand the Customs Union between Turkey and the EU in a way that will include the 10 new members, among them the 'Greek Cypriot Administration'.

Denktas stressed that if Turkey signs this protocol, this will not mean that it recognizes the 'Greek Cypriot Administration'.

Denktas, who adopts the same approach as Ankara with regard to this issue, said: 'Turkey will not be recognizing the Greek Cypriot Administration by signing this protocol. Certain people assert that by signing this document, Turkey is moving in this direction, but Ankara gave an explanation on this issue. Furthermore, it will also issue a declaration. This is not recognition. Prime Minister Erdogan explained this many times. He gave his word. We believe that Prime Minister Erdogan's word is like a national promissory note. Furthermore, implementation is more important. The Greek Cypriot side has also noted this. Clerides has recently noted that "implementation is very important." Will Greek Cypriot planes and ships travel backward and forward between Cyprus and Turkey? It is necessary to check this. Turkey recognizes the `TRNC´ and this will continue.'

It is clearly understood from Denktas' words that the long-time leader will not tear away from politics..."

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