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Sunday, 22 December 2024
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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 01-02-07Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIANo. 26/01 -- 7.2.01[A] NEWS ITEMS
[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS
[A] NEWS ITEMS[01] Swedish Foreign Minister on Cyprus solution, EU accession EU/s term president Sweden/s Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, in an exclusiveinterview to CUMHURIYET (4.2.01) correspondent Lale Tavsanoglu, inter alia referred to the Cyprus problem and said: ``The Cyprus problem should be solved through UN mediation talks. That two men (Clerides and Denktash) should reach an agreement. Moreover, Cyprus (South Cyprus) could be a full EU member without reaching an agreement. However, the best thing will be if Cyprus becomes a member with its problems settled. We have a Swedish saying that `too many cooks should not prepare the broth/ (Tr. Note: in english `Too many cooks spoil the broth/). Then the broth will be spoiled. As far as I am concerned, the mediation issue is something similar to this. The negotiations should be carried out within the UN framework. Others should not act as mediators''.[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS[02] Cyprus/ geostrategic and geo-economic importance So-called ``TRNC ambassador'' to Turkey, Ahmet Zeki Bulunc, in an articleabout ``The Cyprus issue and developments'' published in the Turkish Daily News (2.2.01, first instalment) refers, inter alia, to Cyprus/ geostrategic and geo-economic importance. He says: ``The island of Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily and Sardinia. The geo- strategic and geo-economic importance of the island, which already has a large strategic value, is becoming increasingly obvious. The island/s historical strategic value for Turkey is also increasing as world conditions continue to change rapidly. This island effectively controls the commercial and oil transport routes in the Mediterranean and can be considered to be an `unsinkable ship/ at the mouth of the Suez Canal.For reasons such as preserving the stability ensured by the Lausanne, London and Zurich Agreements in the Aegean and the Mediterranean and the increasing importance of the southern coast and ports starting with the Gulf of Alexandria, the island is even more important for Turkey. The strategic importance of the Gulf of Alexandria is, from a Turkish perspective, increasing with each passing day. The fact that the Iraqi oil pipeline is linked to the area as well the Gulf of Alexandria coming to the fore as a result of many natural gas and petroleum projects plus the fact that the Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP) opens up into the Mediterranean all increase the island/s strategic, geo-political and geo-economic importance for Turkey. Apart from the strategic, geo-economic and geo-political significance of Cyprus to Turkey, the obligation to keep the 200,000 Turks that live there in place, in peace and security and to preserve their human rights shows only too clearly why Turkey can never abandon Cyprus. The main factors shaping Turkey/s Cyprus policy are the island/s strategic importance and the existence of the Turkish Cypriots. Turkey has always based its Cyprus policies on these two basic factors. In taking note of these facts, Turkey will never tolerate and never allow anything to cause: [41] Cyprus to become enemy territory;[43] Any change to the existing balances in the Eastern Mediterranean that are not in its favour;[46] The existence, peace and security of the 200,000 Turkish Cypriots to be done away with;[49] The human rights of the Turkish population to be trodden on;[51] The existence of the Turkish population to be jeopardized or,[53] for them to be moved to a different territory.This has always been the priority in Turkish foreign policy''.Bulunc further says that one can look at the Cyprus issue on three essential planes: ``1. As an issue between the two peoples on the island who have completely different nationalities, languages, cultures and religions; [63] as a regional issue by virtue of the two peoples/ motherlands;[65] as an international issue by virtue of the fact that other countries have an interest in the region''.He adds that ``as the Cyprus issue has become more prominent over the course of history, these three planes have preserved their importance and existence within a whole entity in which they are interdependent and can no longer be treated as separate issues.The contents of the issue are clearly understood in the first two planes and the United Nations has used these as the basis from which to tackle the Cyprus issue for many years now. However, after Greece became a full member of the European Union, the international dimension, especially the EU dimension, has come to the fore as a result of Greece/s efforts to make the Cyprus issue an EU issue after she became an EU member herself. With effect from the start of the 1990s any development in Turkey/s relations with the EU and improvement in her relations with Greece have all hinged on an agreement being made on Cyprus. Thus the EU began to openly take sides in the matter from 1990 onwards. Both the EU/s attitude and the EU/s acceptance of Greek Administered Southern Cyprus (GKRY) one-sided application to join the EU have added a new and significant element to the matter. Both of these developments have led the Turks to completely reassess the Cyprus issue from the ground up. The EU h as not taken into account the warnings issued by both Turkey and the TRNC to the effect that treating Cyprus as an EU issue would create serious problems and prevent a solution from being found. These problems took on a new dimension and reached a peak following decisions made by the EU at Luxembourg in 1997.'' From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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