Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 98-04-08

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

TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 62/98 -- 8.4.98

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash stresses integration with Turkey in holiday message.

[02] Gurel on Turkey's losses from Customs Union Agreement.

[03] Karadayi comments on meeting with Tsoganis.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[04] Yilmaz, Ecevit criticized for Greece, EU, Cyprus policies.

[05] Turkish paper views Holbrooke strategy on Cyprus.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash stresses integration with Turkey in holiday message

In his message on the occasion of the feast, Denktash noted that "the further enhancement of the relations with Turkey by means of protocols, agreements, and laws have increased the hopes for the future". Expressing the conviction that subsequent holidays will be marked in improved conditions, Denktash said: "I hope that your future will be much better than today and that you will proudly celebrate more beautiful holidays with the motherland, with which we will integrate in every field. There are those who fear this integration. Those who do not fear integration with the Greek Cypriots fear integration with Turkey. Those who do not fear integration with Europe in the footsteps of the Greek Cypriots and as a minority attachment to the Greek Cypriots fear integration with Turkey. As stated by Turkey and by everyone of us, this integration is tantamount to the strengthening of the TRNC, its advancement in every field, its economic development, and the continuous happiness of its people."

Denktash further claimed: "The meaning of integration with Turkey is doing with Turkey what the Greek Cypriots are doing with the EU and with Greece. In doing this, we will open the road to peace by proving to everyone that the inevitable Greek Cypriot-Turkish Cypriot balance will not be upset."

Referring to the bicommunal contacts conducted following an appeal by the EU, Denktash claimed that these invitations were aimed at underlining that the decisions made by the "TRNC" are invalid. Denktash alleged that these meetings attempted to issue the following messages: "An unrecognized state cannot have a Parliament. Do not heed it. On the other hand, the people what we brought together are laughing and speaking together. This is what counts and that is what you must take into consideration".

Denktash added: "I would not want to distress those who attended these meetings on this holiday, or at any other time, because they are defending our cause during these meetings. They say that the Greek Cypriots are not our government, to the best of their ability and comprehension. But, only those who attend the meetings hear these arguments. The picture presented to Europe, on the other hand, is one of Turkish and Greek Cypriot togetherness. Europe is being told: The Turkish Cypriots are attending these meetings regardless of their government's policy. They are on our side. Therefore, these are the people you should take into consideration."

Claiming that this is why certain restrictions were introduced with regard to bicommunal contacts and these must be received with "understanding", Denktash alleged: "You must realize that we are a state. If the majority of the Assembly has adopted a decision regarding the national cause, this decision must be implemented. Otherwise, we cannot achieve anything.

Those with opposing views have the democratic right to express their views, but if they attempt to announce to the whole world that this decision is not valid, they will do us an injustice."

[02] Gurel on Turkey's losses from Customs Union Agreement

State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel announced that since Turkey's membership in the Customs Union it has lost some $1.914 billion. The trade gap with the EU countries is also to Turkey's disadvantage, the report says.

Sukru Sina Gurel was replying to a parliamentary question by Virtue Party Karaman Deputy Zeki Unal on relations with the EU and advantages accrued from the Customs Union.

Noting that Turkey's efforts to integrate with Europe go as far back as the Treaty of Paris after the Crimean War, Gurel said that the participation in the EU process is an important dimension of that integration, adding that the advantages to be secured by Turkey from this process will be felt only in the long run.

Stating that the Customs Union is only a stage in the EU process, Gurel said that soon after accession to the Customs Union some losses were sustained, adding: "There was a reduction in the public income because of the lifting of the tariffs on timber products and the tax for the Social Housing Fund, as well as the introduction of the common customs tariffs for the third countries. According to a State Planning Organization statistical study based on 1995 imports and exports structures, the losses in 1996 amount to nearly $957 million. And in the absence of any tangible protective measures, the same amount of loss has also occurred in 1997."

Noting that some of this loss might eventually be felt by the consumers, Gurel added, however, that the lower prices to be generated by the competitive atmosphere could be regarded as a positive element for the consumers.

In citing export-import figures with the EU for 1995-1997, Gurel said that the EU has increased its exports to Turkey, whereas the latter could not maintain the same level of exports to the EU countries, a level that has remained low.

Accordingly, the imports from the EU reached $22.6 billion in 1996, from $16.8 billion in 1995. And it rose to $24 billion in 1997. That is almost a 50-percent increase in imports from the EU between the years 1995 and 1997. Turkey's exports to the EU countries stood at $11 billion in 1995, $11.4 billion in 1996, and $12.1 billion in 1997.

[03] Karadayi comments on meeting with Tsoganis

"During the meeting, we conducted a general exchange of views on military matters without a specific agenda. We both noted our desire to take advantage of similar opportunities to meet in the future. I seized this opportunity to reiterate my conviction that all the problems between Turkey and Greece can and must be resolved through comprehensive negotiations and a dialogue based on mutual goodwill," Karadayi said.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[04] Yilmaz, Ecevit criticized for Greece, EU, Cyprus policies

In my previous column, I had replied to him saying that we have fallen into such a dire situation `thanks to you, sir'. I have received numerous reports about the disenchantment at the Foreign Ministry over this issue. I have long realized that the Foreign Ministry bureaucrats, who are still suffering the aftereffects of `mixing politics' in the Ministry, are nervous and are themselves aware that they are on the verge of losing control.

One of these diplomats said: `In the past, different opinions used to be expressed at the Foreign Ministry meetings and the best course was found from the discussion of the opposing views. Now, there is no dissenting opinion. Whatever Ecevit says, that goes. Those having different opinions have been silenced.'

This is really frightening. It is almost like turning the Ministry into a `one-party system'.

That is why today I opened my column to those dissenting views that are under threat of suppression. I placed Turkey's three most important foreign policy issues under the magnifying glass, wanting to draw in this way the Prime Minister's attention to what is being said by the dissenters. Here they are:

Greece: It is implementing very serious policies to comply with the Maastricht criteria. It has pulled the 12-percent inflation two years ago down to below 6 percent. The average yearly growth is 3 percent. It is trying to put an end to state intervention. It is making huge economic investments in the Balkan countries, such as Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Albania. For instance, it signed a 20-year `special relationship' agreement with Albania. Greece, which only six years ago tried to prevent Macedonia from emerging as a state, is now the country with the largest investment there. It is also using well the advantages of being a EU member. Its only concern is the United States' pro-Turkey policy. It is, therefore, trying to counterbalance Turkey's strategic position with its own one. In that way, it wants to win over Washington's support. It is also following a policy that would give it the freedom to decide the momentum of its relationship with Turkey. Of late, it has been constantly stressing that Turkey is a European country. In that way, it is both improving its image in the West and trying to turn Turkey into a border Gendarmerie in a dangerous region feared by the West.

The EU: The EU was late in realizing that it committed a major mistake by adopting the Luxembourg summit decision. It bowed to Greece's threat to veto the expansion process. But Turkey made its own first mistake by not participating in the European Conference and the second by insulting Kohl with words that betrayed ignorance of Germany. This is only buttering the bread for Greece. Because it did not do its homework well, Turkey failed to see that the German position on Turkey's EU membership would be the same in 1997 as it was back in 1994. Instead, Turkey made the mistake of linking Turkey's grand strategic interests to a squabble with Kohl.

Cyprus: Turkey will `be forced to see' in the coming three months at the most, that the policy it pursues on this issue is wrong from A to Z. It will then be forced to search for new policies. Turkey will be told that its best interests lie in returning to the status existing in 1990. It will see that demanding the impossible is illogical. Turkey will be told that this mentality could only harm its Ceyhan projects. Then, those who foresee from now that the northern part of the island will not turn out the way it is calculated will step forward in an attempt to rectify the situation and restore Turkey's rights... God willing...

Let us continue the struggle to prevent the Foreign Ministry from becoming the plaything of politicians mired in the 1970's," he concludes.

[05] Turkish paper views Holbrooke strategy on Cyprus

"Sources who followed Holbrooke's meetings drew attention to the extreme importance of Holbrooke's statement that `the EU invited Cyprus, and not the Republic of Cyprus'. With these words, Holbrooke was reportedly referring to a Cyprus based on the equality of the two sides instead of the Republic of Cyprus, which represents the Greek Cypriot section, as the basis of the talks", Gunduz says and continues:

"The United Nations is reportedly the basis and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan the catalyst in Holbrooke's plan.

Recalling Holbrooke's statement that `I can guarantee to you that Annan will be further interested in the Cyprus issue', the sources said: `Kofi Annan will be a very important pressure factor, in the same way that he was during the Iraqi crisis. That is, to confront Annan will be like confronting the United Nations. Holbrooke will take an extremely important step through Annan.'

The `political equality' that the TRNC and Turkey insist on, forms the basis of Holbrooke's initiatives. Holbrooke, who understands that the Turkish Cypriot side will not make a single step before the existence of `political equality', attaches much importance to the issue. Holbrooke, who has given his `approval' to the political equality issue, has given the message to the Turkish Cypriot side that `in the event that political equality is recognized, there will be no further need for your recognition as a state'.

Arguing that the TRNC is at least as much a state as the Greek Cypriot side, the TRNC and Turkey, for their part, have given signs of softening their stand by indicating that a platform where the `equality of the two sides' is accepted will have the same meaning.

The reduction in the number of soldiers and demilitarization is one of the basic elements of Holbrooke's Cyprus strategy. The cancellation of the arrival of the S-300 missiles or their deployment in Greece instead of the Greek Cypriot sector will be announced at this stage.

Holbrooke attaches much importance to the businessmen.

Stan Stova (name as published) from the Norway Peace Studies Institution is reportedly assisting Holbrooke in his endeavours.

Holbrooke, who is aware of the fact that the Middle East peace process between Israel and Palestine is being taken up by academicians and low- ranking diplomats in Norway, is trying to implement something similar through Turkish and Greek Cypriot businessmen."

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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