Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 05-08-26

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Eroglu's NUP argues that the economic and political level that the Turkish Cypriots have reached is a result of its work.

[02] Turkish professor expresses the opinion that after 3 October a "speedy process" will begin on the Cyprus problem.

[03] The Turkish Cypriots insist on the ratification of the EU's financial aid and direct trade regulations as a package.

[04] Reaction by the Turkish Cypriot building contractors to the fact that they cannot participate in a tender opened in Turkey regarding the Kyrenia ring road.

[05] US official wants President Papadopoulos to move.

[06] Occupation regime tries to bypass international decisions on sports.

[07] A development plan for the occupied district of Kyrenia.

[08] Erdogan on the Kurdish issue said: "My words are being deliberately exploited for political gain".

[09] A Turkish court turned down request to arrest DEHAP leaders.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] "Do not claim the heritage you have already denied!"...

[11] "A warning or an agreement?".

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Eroglu's NUP argues that the economic and political level that the Turkish Cypriots have reached is a result of its work

The NUP alleges that it has never committed and will never commit mistakes on the Cyprus problem and noted that the policy the party followed on the issue of the properties had as a result the Turkish Cypriots to take roots on the occupied territories and to use the land as their property, houses, building sites and factories.

"If we as the NUP had acted having the mentality 'whose land are you giving away', like the RTP used to allege once, our economy would not come to this point and we could not have had the Annan Plan which we believe includes many mistakes and injustices", notes the statement and adds, inter alia, the following: "Now we are asking: Is the RTP heading towards annulling one part of the title deeds by saying that 'we are not taking the title deeds back, we are just making expropriation'? If the property issue is a part only of an overall solution, as Mr Soyer says, then why the government feels the need to make a step now on this issue? ...".

[02] Turkish professor expresses the opinion that after 3 October a "speedy process" will begin on the Cyprus problem

Mr Baydarol alleged that the current "silence" is something upon which agreement has been reached and that the silence is the best way to ensure that those who oppose Turkey's EU accession within the Union remain inactive and Turkey not to suffer losses.

Mr Baydarol expressed the opinion that the Turkish side should continuously stress that the Greek Cypriots rejected the Annan Plan and behaved contrary to the principles of the EU. He also alleged that the Greek Cypriot side has not been able to explain to the EU the reasons for the "no" vote and that the EU cannot explain this.

Mr Baydarol argued that in case President Papadopoulos "continues his intransigent stance" and threatens to veto Turkey's EU accession course, he could be isolated in the EU.

Mr Baydarol is visiting the occupied areas of Cyprus upon invitation by the so-called Management Centre, in order to participate in a conference under the title "The EU' law regarding the non governmental organizations, the funds and the right to ask them", which will take place at the headquarters of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce.

[03] The Turkish Cypriots insist on the ratification of the EU's financial aid and direct trade regulations as a package

In statements yesterday Mr Ercin said that the insistence of the Turkish side on the issue will continue and that their aim is the implementation of the 26 April decision that is the lifting of the so-called isolation.

Mr Ercin said that the 259 million Euros financial aid, which according to the regulation should be given to the Turkish Cypriots, is like a "holiday present" and that this aid will be given once. However, he added, this is not enough for ensuring the mobility in the Turkish Cypriot economy.

[04] Reaction by the Turkish Cypriot building contractors to the fact that they cannot participate in a tender opened in Turkey regarding the Kyrenia ring road

In a statement issued yesterday, the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Building Contractors Union, Mr Cafer Gurcafer noted that according to the clauses added in the tender, the letters of guarantee by the local banks are not accepted and the building contractor who will bid for the tender must have engaged at least once in the past a project worth 12 trillion Turkish liras. Because no Turkish Cypriot building contractor has been given this possibility in the past, no Turkish Cypriot firm can posses a document showing that it had contracted a project worth of 12 trillion liras, Mr Gurcafer pointed out.

5. US official wants President Papadopoulos to move

Turkish daily HURRIYET newspaper (26.08.05) reports that US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Matt Bryza is currently in Turkey and holding talks with the Turkish government officials, as the paper puts it, on the "PKK terrorism".

After meeting the Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Mr Bryza had a lunch with the Turkish journalists. The US official said that his country is ready to cooperate in every field with Turkey, in their fight against the "PKK terrorism".

Bryza said: "The PKK terrorism, is a common problem for Turkey, the USA and Iraq. Stopping of all the terrorist activities including the PKK is in the interest of the USA as well. Unfortunately we can not by pushing a button stop the PKK, Sunni and Shiat terrorism in Iraq.

Referring to Turkey´s EU prospect, Bryza said that they support the start of accession talks on 3rd of October between Turkey and the EU. He said that any possible precondition regarding Cyprus, put forward prior to starting the negotiations might lead the issue into an impasse.

Calling on President Papadopoulos to start moving towards a settlement, Bryza said: "The time is working against him (Papadopoulos. Tr.) If he does not want to see a separate entity in the north then he should start to move. The clock is ticking".

[06] Occupation regime tries to bypass international decisions on sports

He said that they could use the flag of that international organization and Beethoven´s 9th symphony as their national anthem.

Yorgancioglu went on and said that they continue on the international field to secure removal of the so-called "embargo" imposed on the occupied area.

[07] A development plan for the occupied district of Kyrenia

[08] Erdogan on the Kurdish issue said: "My words are being deliberately exploited for political gain"

"Replying to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and the military who asked him at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting what he had meant by the phrase "Kurdish problem" Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "Exploiting my words does not alter what they meant."

Commenting on the political repercussions of his remark "Kurdish problem", which he made before his trip to Diyarbakir and which caused a furore, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said, "My words are being deliberately exploited for political gain." Erdogan said that merely twisting his words and misconstruing them would not change what he meant when he uttered them.

Details of the historical NSC meeting held the other day at the Presidential Mansion in Cankaya have begun to become clear. According to information obtained by HURRIYET newspaper President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and the military members of the Council reminded Erdogan right at the start of the meeting of his remarks "Kurdish problem" and "super- sub-identity" asking: "What do you understand from these expressions, what did you mean by them? How are you backing them up?"

Erdogan said: "Certain people are exploiting my words for political gain. What I meant is perfectly clear. Exploiting them and misconstruing them will not change what we meant by them." Emphasizing the "constitutional envelope" Erdogan recalled that in all his statements on the matter the topic had defined the field of debate, and that in the same way he also frequently emphasized "the single state, single nation and single flag" as well as "unitary state" concepts in his statements.

Erdogan then maintained that certain people looked at the problem from one angle only and said: "You have to approach this matter not from one angle but from an analytical perspective or it will never be solved. What you have to do is make a clear distinction between the problem of terrorism and there being a social problem. That is what I am doing."

Erdogan also explained to the Council members how this distinction was made: "Terrorism is another matter entirely. The fight against it will of course be carried out with the utmost resolve. Whatever needs to be done here will be done without fail. But on the other side there is the solving of a social issue. That requires a number of socio-economic and cultural solutions to be produced in order to win over the people."

Erdogan then briefed the Council members in detail on what has been done to date in the region, and what will be done from now on. Explaining what is to be done from now on Erdogan said: "We are going to develop a new policy of encouragement for those provinces that after one year of application have not benefited from encouragement, or which have failed to receive investment."

With these words Erdogan sent the message that they were going to change the practice of encouraging investment, which still covers 49 provinces.

After the meeting Erdogan told his lieutenants: "The issues were deliberated in an atmosphere of discussion. Information was given on two matters where certain basic points needed clarification. Afterwards, consensus was reached on the declaration.""

[09] A Turkish court turned down request to arrest DEHAP leaders

Bakirhan and the party administrators went to the Ankara judiciary and gave statements to Prosecutor Mustafa Kelkit. Bakirhan rejected the accusations, and said that the reference to Mr. Ocalan included in the party statement was used within the context of political culture and politeness. Bakirhan remarked that the proposal to consider Abdullah Ocalan as an interlocutor is not a crime. Recalling that the expression on the peaceful solution of the Kurdish problem was used by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan as well, Bakirhan stated: Those who investigate us, should also interrogate the prime minister.

Following their depositions, the DEHAP administrators were referred to the 11th Ankara Criminal Court on duty. The court turned down the request for the officials' arrest, but banned them from leaving the country. The court also ordered the DEHAP administrators to report to the Security Directorate in their area of residence once a week for a judicial check.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] "Do not claim the heritage you have already denied!"...

"Today´s article analyzes a universal theme that most if not all politicians prefer is left untouched and out of the agenda!...

Needless to say that it is people all around the world who always suffer the disastrous consequences and pay the bitter price of all the mistakes that are recklessly made by politicians...

The problem is that, once politicians make a mistake, they immediately roll up their sleeves in order to rectify it, which inevitably means even more suffering and unhappiness for people!...

We all know that Sharon had played a leading role in the settlement of Jewish people on land and property that actually belonged to the people of Palestine...

But we also know that after 38 years, it was Sharon and his government again who took a historic decision to uproot the Jewish settlers from the occupied lands of the Gaza Strip...

The Jewish settlers seemed to cherish a wealthy and happy life during the 38 years they lived in the Gaza Strip, until the government's pullout decision which forced them to walk out of their homes and property in the occupied lands...

This is a testimony that happiness and wealth that are founded on incorrect and unjust decisions are destined not only to last temporarily but to end up in failure and sorrow...

We have the same situation in the North of the island today...

The land and property in the North that was previously owned by Greek Cypriot people have been arbitrarily distributed to the Turkish Cypriot people after an incorrect and unjust decision taken by authorities.

Things have apparently worked well so far, for the government's decision seems to have made people happy for a quarter century.

Yet, this game is destined to end up in sorrow in the long run, at least for some of us...

One day, we will have to wake up of our sweet dream and face the bitter reality...

Nevertheless, for the time being, what we get in return for drawing people´s attention to these facts is severe criticism from politicians who have gone so far as to accuse us of being garrulous!...

Politicians should never take incorrect or unjust decisions just to temporarily satisfy people or to achieve political gains...

Our politicians have taken and implemented many incorrect and unjust decisions since 1974, which currently constitute one of the most important obstacles that hinder the achievement of peace and reunification on the island...

The present government whose entire policy is based on achieving solution and peace in Cyprus has all its efforts directed towards finding a way to rectify certain crucial mistakes that were committed many years ago although the members of the present government are not directly responsible for the commitment of these mistakes...

Unfortunately, rectifying a mistake implies pain and suffering for many people, just like what we saw happen in the Gaza Strip and other Israeli settlements that were evacuated by the government's pullout decision...

Don´t you think we have to "hold our tongues" and take lessons from what´s been happening around us?

The politicians have no right to make people suffer the consequences of their poorly designed and implemented short-term or long-term policies...

Our analysis of Israel´s historic withdrawal operation which underlined that what has happened in the Gaza Strip may well happen in Cyprus one day has received severe and unjust criticism from president Talat...

I believe the reason the president has suddenly found himself as a fervent supporter of the status quo´s policies on the property issue is that he was taken unawares by our comments and analysis...

VOLKAN: the newspaper of filth and the `African monkey´ seem greatly satisfied with Talat´s unjust criticism towards us, for their supporting stance of Talat and his unjust criticism has not escaped anybody´s attention...

I believe Talat will contemplate on the reasons of the support he has taken from these newspapers...

Injustice will always turn back like a boomerang, and knock at your door no matter how much time has passed:

This is what has happened in Gaza...

And in Cyprus, too!...

The injustice perpetrated against both the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots has now turned out to be the biggest obstacle which prevents the achievement of peace and solution on the island...

All of us have finally realized that we will never be able to shatter the deadlock on the island unless we remove the injustice that has been inflicted on both of the peoples living on the island...

Nevertheless, the removal of injustice will mean pain and suffering again for some people on both sides of the island

The neverbreaking property problem that continues to cause worry and concern among people of the island has its roots in the incorrect and unjust policies that for many years were implemented by authorities on both sides of Cyprus...

This is what we have to realize if we want to settle the dispute on the island...

Talat must never be the successor of politicians who have left us a heritage of problems that have their source in the unjust and incorrect policies that have been pursued for many years...

What we should do now is not to follow the footsteps of the defenders of the status quo, but to find a way to rectify the grave mistakes that threaten our future although they have been committed in the past...

What has happened in the Gaza Strip and in Cyprus is a good example of the detrimental consequences people may have to suffer when the major concern of politicians is diverted from working for the public to working for their personal gains...

Within this framework, we should not forget that not only the goals we set for ourselves, but also the means we implement must be just and fair...

The authorities in Israel and Cyprus have for many years implemented unjust and incorrect policies on the issue of property...

And it has always been the public who has had to suffer the disastrous consequences and pay the bitter price for these unjust and incorrect policies...

People have suffered...

And it seems they will continue to suffer...

What falls on the shoulders of Talat and other politicians is to take a lesson from what happened in the past and to learn to be just and fair when they design and implement policies on such issues!..."

[11] "A warning or an agreement?"

"Tuesday's statement released by the National Security Council (NSC) was interpreted in many different ways by the media. The general impression was that the statement was a warning from the military to the government. We are used to the military criticizing civilian governments, and that's why the statement can be seen as a warning.

However, is it really a warning? In other words, were sentences in the statement worded the way they were in order to fine-tune the perceptions and criticisms made after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speech in Diyarbakir?

NSC statements never reflect the views of a single side. It is a voice of consensus. Both military and civilian officials at the meeting sign the statement. When one considers this fact, one is forced to side with the second point of view.

Prime Minister Erdogan did not step back from the statements he made in Diyarbakir. No matter how harsh the criticism from the opposition was, his stance remained the same. He kept emphasizing his belief in the possibility of resolving the Kurdish issue while protecting national integrity. He cited the Constitution and noted it was impossible to go beyond its boundaries.

The government and the military have certain tactical differences concerning the issue, but no huge difference surfaced between the two. There are a couple of things we should know. No matter which government is in charge and no matter what ideology it adheres to, no one can claim it wants to resolve such a problem by dividing the country. No matter which government is in office, it will not and cannot reward Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). These are principles that will never change. No matter how wrong we think Erdogan's stance is, we cannot accuse him of pursuing a scenario that will lead Turkey to disaster.

I believe what should be done next is to implement social and economic measures, as noted in the NSC statement, to resolve the issue instead of getting lost in the details. Many important statements and declarations were made in the past, but none of the promises made were fully kept.

I believe one of the most important parts of the NSC statement was its emphasis on efforts to eradicate regional income disparities and that the measures taken would be in accordance with the Copenhagen criteria. It was important for Turkey to note that the only way to resolve this issue was to try to find an answer that was in accordance with the principles of democracy.

A statement coming from a joint military-civilian authority is also very important for Turkey, which is close to a very historic date on its path to Europe. What we should not forget is that Turkey will sit at the negotiating table on October 3, and every step it takes will be assessed in detail.

We should not ignore that we need to start thinking differently about every issue."

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