TRKNWS-L Turkish Daily News excerpts (January 2, 1996)

From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" <dep@bu.edu>

Turkish News Directory

CONTENTS

TURKISH DAILY NEWS / 2 January 1996

[01] 'Greek Cypriots are not, cannot be and shall not be our government'

-The joint declaration: 'The joint declaration merely underlines the basic rights and obligations of Turkey towards Cyprus as a whole and to the Turkish Cypriot people in particular, especially on points of security, guaranteeing their rights, and the prevention of the union of the island, partly or wholly, with any other state' -Assurance from Turkey: 'President Demirel has assured people that no matter what difficulties may arise, it will not affect the relations of Turkey vis-a-vis the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and Turkey's trade with the TRNC. In other words, the president has assured us that we shall not be let down'

-The need for assurance: 'We needed this assurance. ... We needed it very badly because the world was misled for so many years by the Greek Cypriot propaganda that they are the government of the whole island and we, the Turkish Cypriots, are a minority within Cyprus'

-Only a customs union accord: 'Let us not forget that Turkey is not a full member of the European Union yet. Turkey has signed only an economic agreement with the European Union and established a customs union. That is it. You have to move within that customs union agreement'

-Prospects in 1996: 'If Mr. Holbrooke can afford to tell Greek Cypriots that they are not the government of Turkish Cypriots, then I am sure at least some Greek Cypriot leaders will start seeing the light and we will come down to realities. Otherwise they will not. So, whether it is Holbrooke, or anybody else, will make no difference, if these people are treated as the legitimate government of Cyprus'

TDN- President Denktas, during your short visit to Ankara a joint declaration was issued which, as far as I see, does not introduce anything new.

DENKTAS- As you have rightly said, the joint declaration does not introduce anything new between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Turkey. The joint declaration merely underlines the basic rights and obligations of Turkey towards Cyprus as a whole, and to the Turkish Cypriot people in particular, especially on points of security, guaranteeing their rights, and the prevention of the union of the island, partly or wholly, with any other state. These became necessary in view of the ongoing Greek Cypriot intransigence and public declarations of the fact that they will conquer Famagusta, Karpas (peninsula), Kyrenia, and that the sovereignty of Cyprus exists in the body politic of the so-called Republic of Cyprus -- of which they are the masters as a result of a planned attack on the Turkish Cypriot people back in 1963.

Therefore, it became necessary for us to satisfy our people that the Greek Cypriot drive towards becoming the legitimate rulers of the whole island, becoming the legitimate government of the Turkish Cypriots, being able to represent Cyprus as a whole in international fora, cannot go on. We needed this assurance. ... We needed it very badly because the world was misled for so many years by the Greek Cypriot propaganda that they are "the government" of the whole island and we, the Turkish Cypriots, are a minority within Cyprus.

So, I am very satisfied with this joint declaration. As I say, it brings nothing new, but it underlines the basic rights and obligations of the Turkish Cypriot people and Turkey, and Turkey's rights and obligations vis-a-vis Cyprus as a whole.

One aspect of this is that Cyprus cannot enter any international forum in which both Greece and Turkey are not members. This was a very big problem for us. A very big worry indeed. Now, we are assured that Turkey will take charge of its rights and will not allow this to happen. All in all, I was right in saying that "I'm taking back to my people the best possible 1996 new year gift or present from Turkey."

TDN- Mr. President, there are worries in both the TRNC and Turkey that, with the establishment of the customs union between Turkey and the European Union, Turkish Cypriots will suffer or Turkey will come under some more pressures regarding Cyprus.

DENKTAS- Well, I think President Suleyman Demirel touched on this point. President Demirel has assured people that no matter what difficulties may arise, it will not affect the relations of Turkey vis-a-vis the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Turkey's trade with the TRNC. In other words, the president has assured us that we shall not be let down. The president stressed that ways and means will be found for Turkey to continue helping us in trade and economics, and it will be better and not worse.

At lunch (hosted by President Demirel in honor of Denktas after the official talks) Prime Minister Tansu Ciller was also there.

She also assured us that there is nothing to fear on these points. Naturally people, in good faith, interpret the documents which Turkey has signed for entering customs union. There are ways and ways of interpreting these documents. But what we have to look at is how Turkey is interpreting these things, and whether Turkey's political will is adversely affected on Cyprus because of customs union entry. We are assured that it is not and we see that it is not. So, if difficulties arise, we shall overcome these difficulties. I think that is the joint consensus (between the two presidents and the two countries).

TDN- What about the Greek Cypriot statements that, now that Turkey has established customs union with Europe, it should abide by the decisions of European bodies, including the rulings of the European Court of Justice, which, as is known, has imposed a trade embargo on Northern Cyprus?

DENKTAS- It is clear that the paragraph (in the Turkey-European Union customs union deal) which refers to the Court of Justice decisions has nothing to do with what Turkey is going to do with the TRNC. It is merely a reference to the Court of Justice rulings on any difficulty which may arise between Turkey and the European Union regarding customs union in interpretation of certain matters. Therefore, it has nothing to do with what Turkey can do or will do with us. Let us not forget that Turkey is not a full member of the European Union yet.

Turkey has signed only an economic agreement with the European Union and established a customs union. That is it. You have to move within that customs union agreement.

TDN- Another aspect of the joint declaration and the press conference by you two presidents was that if Greek Cypriots continued to arm, Turkey would take "necessary measures." Would you elaborate on that? DENKTAS- Well, Greece and the Greek Cypriot side unfortunately feel that, in complete disregard of the 1960 establishment of a bi-communal republic, which they destroyed, they are free to regard themselves as the owners of Cyprus and they can do anything with it. Therefore they can enter into agreements with Greece which contradict the Treaties of Guarantee and of Alliance. That contradicts the 1960 treaties, in fact, completely. This is a worrying thing for us, not because we are afraid of what Greeks will do to us, although that is a worrying matter too, but because it will drive certain Greek elements to regard the mass of arms as enabling them to defy Turkey in Cyprus, and that will bring about bloodshed. Greek Cypriot leaders, one after the other, are referring to this so-called joint defense doctrine agreement between Greek Cypriots and Greece, and they say, "We are afraid that we are on the wrong road and this will lead us into complete disaster." The people who are saying this, I repeat, are Greek Cypriot leaders, party leaders and other leaders, who know what Greek Cypriots intend to do with these arms and armaments. And they are saying, "Be careful, don't take us into chaos." So we are entitled to seek remedies against this madness. Turkey has said, first, "Don't be afraid. Don't worry," and second, "Whatever is necessary in order to keep the balance, we will do it." I think that should be a good message to the "reasonable" Greek Cypriots on the other side and encourage them to stop their leaders from proceeding on this track of madness.

TDN- President Denktas, if I ask you for your assessment of 1995 and prospects for 1996, what would you like to say?

DENKTAS- Had Mr. Clerides not brought in as a precondition for the talks the entry of Cyprus, as a whole, into Europe, and sought our approval for it, the material on the table was sufficient for us to work out a reasonable solution, and I said so during my election campaign also. But he brought these preconditions and stopped the process deliberately.

Everyone should understand that Greek Cypriots do not need a solution with us, because a solution for them means climbing down from the pedestal of the "government of Cyprus" and taking us back in as a co-founder and partner, with all that implies economically, politically and otherwise.

As long as the world treats the Greek Cypriot side as "the government of Cyprus," and the world at large brought them to the gates of entry into Europe, they don't think they need a solution with us. All they want to do is to stay under the title of Cyprus and continue harassing us within Cyprus, and having others put pressure on Turkey for a settlement. Indeed, Clerides has made public statements about these things, saying that they will continue to pretend they are discussing things with us in order to pretend to recognize the TRNC, and continue harassment of Turkey internationally. They don't need a settlement as long as they are treated as "the government of Cyprus." That is what they wanted to be. That is why they struck against us. So, why should they settle (the Cyprus problem)? Another thing that I want to say is this: 180,000 people in this world, in Europe, have been under a continuous, illegal, indecent, inhumane economic embargo for 32 years, and I am really surprised that no one in Europe says: "What are we doing to these Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus? Why are we continuing an embargo on them which Greek Cypriots imposed for winning their political aims? Namely, to abrogate the treaties (the 1959 and 1960 treaties of alliance, of guarantee and establishment of the 1960 partnership republic) and to become the masters of Cyprus.

Why are we doing it? Why this discrimination? Why this injustice?" No one asks it, and everybody follows blindly this embargo against us with the excuse that "Greek Cypriots are recognized as the government of Cyprus, so what can we do?" They are the people who are recognizing Greek Cypriots as "the government of Cyprus." They should look at the rule of law and they should say that "recognition of Greek Cypriots as 'the government of Cyprus' runs contrary to the treaties, is against the rule of law, is against human rights and is wrong. And we have been doing wrong to the Turkish Cypriots for 32 years." Somebody has to relook at Cyprus, as Ambassador Hugo Gobi has called upon everybody to do. "Have a rethink on Cyprus," he says. Indeed, Cyprus needs to be rethought.

TDN- Mr. President, in two weeks time, you will be hosting in Cyprus Mr. Richard Holbrooke, the American assistant secretary of state, who recently said 1996 will be a year of a "big push" for Cyprus. Within this context, how do you see the prospect of a settlement to the Cyprus problem in 1996? DENKTAS- Well, as I said, if Greek Cypriots decide that they are on the wrong road in claiming to be our government, "the government of the whole island," and if they see that this is the cause of the trouble and the cause of the continuation of the problem, and Mr. Holbrooke, who is a powerful man, can afford to tell them: "You are not the government of Turkish Cypriots. This is against reality. This is against the rule of law. This is against justice. You cannot claim to be the government of these people unless they accept being colonized by you, and this is not an era of colonizing people. This is an era of freedom for all peoples, and these people had their freedoms with you on the basis of political equality as co-founder partners of the Republic of Cyprus back in 1960, after four years bloodshed between you, you trying to make Cyprus Greek and they trying to stop you from doing it. You land in a partnership republic. You destroyed it within three years, and you claim for 32 years to be the government of Cyprus. And these people tell you: Under the rule of law, under political realities, under the treaties, you are not, you cannot be and you shall not be. This is the reality of Cyprus." If Mr. Holbrooke can afford to tell Greek Cypriots this, quite clearly, then I am sure at least some Greek Cypriot leaders will start seeing the light and we will come down to realities.

Otherwise they will not. So, whether it is Holbrooke, or anybody else, will make no difference, if these people are treated as the legitimate government of Cyprus. They are not, they cannot be, they shall not be our government. This is the trouble in Cyprus. [end]