Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 01-11-15

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas accepts President Clerides' condition for a face-to-face meeting

[02] YENIDUZEN newspaper reports that Denktas proposed to meet face-to-face with President Clerides in order to gain time

[03] Rauf Denktas tries to get out of isolation by exploiting the letters he sent to President Clerides

[04] Tansu Ciller claims that Bulent Ecevit will offer Cyprus to the Greek Cypriots

[05] Yilmaz asks for amendments to the coalition protocol and program

[06] EU officials told the Turkish Daily News that Screening cannot start without progress in the Cyprus problem

[07] Sukru Sina Gurel addressed a ceremony in occupied Nicosia marking the

[08] Ecevit said that he will never make concessions on the Cyprus problem

[09] The Turkish Cypriots press on today's UDI celebrations

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[10] The Greek Ambassador to Turkey calls on Rauf Denktas to come to the negotiating table

[11] The Turkish Cypriots students are upset to be living according to the orders received from Turkey

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas accepts President Clerides' condition for a face-to-face meeting

Speaking to Turkish Radio Television second programme ''Magnifying Glass'', Denktas said that President Clerides, in his reply wants a UN official considered suitable by the UN Secretary-General to attend the meeting and take minutes. "Since the meeting invitation was made by me I have accepted the meeting under these conditions", said Denktas.

The paper writes that it is possible that President Clerides might meet Denktas in December in Nicosia.

Denktas has written two letters asking President Clerides to have a face-to-face meeting with him.

Moreover, AVRUPA (15.11.01) under the title "One more letter from Denktas" quotes Denktas as saying: "I am ready to meet Clerides under these conditions as well. I am going to write him a letter explaining my views on this issue. Let whoever comes from the UN come, let him as well see what is going on".

[02] YENIDUZEN newspaper reports that Denktas proposed to meet face-to-face with President Clerides in order to gain time

Quoting political observers YENIDUZEN reports that while the proximity talks process continues Denktas/ call for a face-to-face meeting does not conform with the International Law.

The same observers note that Denktas made this call for gaining time.

[03] Rauf Denktas tries to get out of isolation by exploiting the letters he sent to President Clerides

Starting his address by saying that "anniversaries are an opportunity for nations to reflect back," Denktas said that questions such as "what will be the end of this state if it is given up" should be asked. Denktas than greets the foreign representatives, who came to attend the 15 November ceremonies. Explaining that "it is enough that there are representatives from motherland Turkey" in order to have hope in future, Denktas adds that "no country gives up its state, independence, and sovereignty even though almost every country has difficulties."

Explaining that it is the duty of every country to make it more beautiful, set up good relations with its neighbours, and advance the economy, Denktas adds: "However, the national culture and path should not be given up to this end."

Recounting that the Turkish Cypriots are sad because of the difficulties of recent years, Denktas says that the people call for help so that "prosperity and better government" are secured. "Naturally," Denktas explains, "we will surmount these difficulties more quickly if we work together, give each other morale support, assess together the ploys under way, and if take up our cause in unity."

Alleging that the item on the agenda these days is how come "Denktas seeks to meet Clerides and why did he ask to meet Clerides face-to-face," Denktas states that there are two kinds of reactions to this invitation. One reaction approves of this proposal and says that it is useless to waste time if the Greek Cypriots are not interested in peace. Denktas continues: "I insist on meeting with Clerides. Why? Because the situation does not look good. The Greek Cypriots are treading on dangerous grounds with the belief that they own the whole of Cyprus and have speeded up their efforts. We want to put them back on the right tract. I have to meet with Clerides once again in order to explain the right tract to him."

Denktas continues by repeating his allegations that the Cyprus issue is simple in that at first the Greek Cypriots launched war, than excluded their partners, and established two states. Noting that "the time has come that they should acknowledge that they [Greek Cypriots] do not have the right to be the government of the Turkish Cypriots," Denktas added that anything else is putting the Turkish Cypriots in a minority position. "We do not want a partnership on paper, but a partnership based on the principle of two states, which emerged after their actions. This is possible. The two former partners can, as neighbour countries, give a new structure to Cyprus. This structure will not hurt anybody and both sides will benefit from it. The EU doors can open to the whole of Cyprus if we agree. However, our rights and Turkey's rights stemming from international agreements should not be given up."

In reply to those who are angry at him for wanting to meet Clerides, Denktas says: "We seek peace in Cyprus. We do not want another war and clashes in Cyprus. We realize, however, that the road taken by the Greek Cypriots is dragging Cyprus, the region, and the Turkish-Greek relations into a crisis. We also realize that Clerides is trying to take advantage of our refusal to resume the talks."

"It is my duty to you, to history, and to the future to meet face-to-face with Clerides," says Denktas, and adds: "Clerides does not have the right to drag Cyprus into a tragedy. It is wrong for Clerides to think that the Turkish Cypriots are waiting for Clerides to save them." Alleging that Clerides does not really know the Turkish Cypriots and that it is not true, as he claims, that 50 percent of the Turkish Cypriots left the island, Denktas says: "I want to tell Clerides what my people want and why they are not ready to give up their state." "I want to tell Cleridies that we should be good neighbours, friends, and partners," adds Denktas.

Denktas continues: "As somebody who knows about and has studied this issue thoroughly, I want to say to you that it is not right to sit at every negotiation table offered to us and refusing to sit at the negotiation table serves to explain some facts to the world. This is exactly what I want to tell Clerides. Let them not have any regrets once again. Let them not make this country a source of conflict between Turkey and Greece once again. These people are ready to make every sacrifice necessary so that Cyprus becomes a bridge of peace between Turkey and Greece based on the principles of partnership equality, and sovereignty. However, on the condition that these people do not give up their freedom, sovereignty, and Turkey's rights over Cyprus."

As his concluding remarks, Denktas says that "there are those among us who say just the opposite of what I have said in my message. There are those who receive money from foreigners in order to discourage us and try to sever our relations with Turkey -- our source of strength -- by insults. Do not believe in them. Let us be aware of our cause. We should continuously explain these facts to our youth. Only sovereign people are free, we should tell them, and they do not give up their freedom and sovereignty."

[04] Tansu Ciller claims that Bulent Ecevit will offer Cyprus to the Greek Cypriots

Speaking at the group meeting of her party, Ciller said that this was a diplomatic scandal.

Ciller noted that the status which was established in Cyprus at the cost of the lives of thousands of soldiers was facing a serious threat today.

Claiming that the progress report of the European Union (EU) for Turkey gave the signs regarding this issue, Ciller said: ``The invoice that Yilmaz-Ecevit couple and Mr Bahceli, who submitted to everything that this couple is doing silently, put forward in front of Turkish nation and history, has been Cyprus.``

`Stressing that the history, de facto situation, and international agreements confirmed Turkey's thesis, Ciller said: ``Despite all these, you will progress step by step in the path to lose Cyprus at the table. It seems that relationship of Foreign Minister with his Greek counterpart did not help anything other than harming the backbone of Turkish foreign policy. Although it could be seen years ago that the matter would reach to this point, Mr Cem who has made Turkish foreign policy did sirtaki (a Greek traditional dance) in Salonica now tells us that Turkey should venture paying heavy costs.`` A Turkey, which had been talking about forcing others to pay the costs, was turned into a Turkey, which was talking about paying the costs by itself, Ciller said.

Ciller continued: ``This means that `do not intend to beat me, otherwise I will commit suicide.` Only Mr Ecevit will think of a Greece or a European Union (EU) which will be feared of Turkey's hurting itself. Those who said that they closed the European page when they came to power in 1997 left Europe firstly to terrorist organization PKK, then to Armenian lobby and to Greek Cypriot administration and Greece in the end.``

``Turkey was sentenced in European documents in each of the three issues. If you are saying today that `we will give up EU if you accept the Greek Cypriot administration as a member`, this does not have any other meaning than submitting to the Greek Cypriot-Greek perspective.

Nobody will care. You isolate yourself from Europe by yourself. You give up all your cards in advance,`` Ciller said. Ciller noted that Turkey should give up neither Cyprus nor EU and said, ``a big Turkey should fulfil both of them.``

Ciller criticized the demands from Turkey to abolish capital punishment for everybody, including the terrorists, without any exceptions in a period when it was accepted that all terrorists, including Osama bin Laden, should be punished in the places where they were captured.

``After all these, it is a big negligence and unwariness for Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz for relations with the European Union to say that the European Union was right about its comments listed in the report if it is not a political or a diplomatic scandal,`` Ciller added.

[05] Yilmaz asks for amendments to the coalition protocol and program

Speaking at his party's meeting in Parliament, Yilmaz said that his party believes that a brave and comprehensive approach is needed to solve current problems and added that his party is preparing a "reconstruction program."

Stating that measures should be taken in various fields with the same timing for the way-out from the crisis, Yilmaz said: "We believe that the structure of the coalition government formed by three parties coming from totally different political backgrounds is an opportunity for a well-balanced and less painful reconstruction process despite its shortcomings."

Yilmaz said that the reason for the shortcomings are not due to themselves or due to structure of coalition government: "We believe that more productive and rapid solutions can be found in the present structure with a little reorganization. For example, despite a number of positive efforts in economy, we cannot reach an efficient solution due to lack of coordination," Yilmaz said.

He said that little revisions should be made within this framework. Yilmaz also responded the Nationalist Action Party (NAP) leader and deputy prime minister Devlet Bahceli's criticisms against the program prepared by MP without directly mentioning his name. Earlier, NAP leader named MP's reform package as a "tactical manoeuvre."

"Here I state frankly and openly. MP's goal was not making political profits out of the reform package. Our intention is not resigning from the government in order to strengthen our position. Our goal is not enlarging our power. We have no expectation from any institution or any part of the society," Yilmaz said.

He stated that their sole intention is to rescue the country from the economic crisis and to solve the confidence crisis.

Yilmaz called on implementing the program prepared by his Motherland Party. Yilmaz said that the Party's proposals do not come from "pandora's box."

"The program includes the ideas that were discussed and matured by various different parts of Turkish society," Yilmaz said.

[06] EU officials told the Turkish Daily News that Screening cannot start without progress in the Cyprus problem

"The screening process, analytical examination of the acquis, can hardly begin without progress on the Cyprus issue, senior European Union (EU) officials comment, indicating to the EU position that membership negotiations between the Union and Turkey cannot start without a step back from the Turkish side on the Cyprus issue.

Speaking to the Turkish Daily News just after the release of the Progress Report on Tuesday, leading EU officials said that the Cyprus issue will be the main discussion between Ankara and the members states in the coming months.

When asked to define the "progress" desired by the EU on the Cyprus issue, diplomats said that the launching of U.N.-brokered talks between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides of Cyprus would be such a step.

EU Commissioner responsible for enlargement, Gunter Verheugen said that a big crisis can be seen between Turkey and the EU, if Cyprus is granted EU membership before a solution is reached for the Cyprus problem, speaking in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Asked by the Australian parliamentarian Hannes Swoboda over the integration of Turkey with Northern Cyprus, Verheugen said that there was nothing new, since Ecevit has been repeating the same views for one year.

Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, on the other hand, said that a cautious style was used in the Progress Report on Cyprus issue.

"The EU is aware of Turkey's sensitivity on Cyprus, which has been emphasized at different levels. I am sure that they will take further steps taking this sensitivity into account," he said.

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, speaking in Parliament during the budget discussions of his ministry, said two weeks ago that Turkey was ready to pay a price for Cyprus in a clear reference to the rift between Turkey and the EU.

Verheugen: All countries comply with Copenhagen criteria except for Turkey

Gunter Verheugen, EU Commissioner responsible for enlargement, said in Strasbourg that all candidate countries, except for Turkey, have complied with the Copenhagen criteria.

Speaking at the European Parliament together with the head of the EU Commission Romano Prodi, Verheugen informed about the progress report on candidate countries.

"We have not launched partnership negotiations because of that reason," said Verheugen.

Noticing that the constitutional reforms made in Turkey have brought positive results, Verheugen said that they expected more steps in the field of human rights and economic situation.

Michael Leigh director of the EU Commission will be in Ankara to discuss the Cyprus deadlock between Turkey and the EU.

[07] Sukru Sina Gurel addressed a ceremony in occupied Nicosia marking the anniversary of the UDI

In his speech Mr Gurel said that the pseudostate "will assume the place it deserves in the international arena in a very short time", and added:

"There are those who speak of paying a price for Cyprus. As the Turkish people and the Turkish Cypriot people, we have paid all the prices needed for Cyprus and for our country until now".

Stating that there are new plans that will bring about co-operation between Turkey and the pseudostate and create an economic integration, the Turkish Minister of State alleged that Turkey is against confrontation and tension, and added:

"We will never allow the security and stability in the eastern Mediterranean and in Cyprus to be disrupted in the form of the establishment of air and naval bases under the banner of the joint military doctrine. Within the framework of our contractual and historical responsibilities, Turkey will never allow a return to the pre-1974 situation. The Turkish Cypriot people will continue to live as an independent and sovereign people under the roof of the `TRNC/ which they established through their own free will. Our cooperation will develop and deepen in every field".

[08] Ecevit said that he will never make concessions on the Cyprus problem

For this reason we will never agree and could never agree that the Turkish Cypriots will come under Greek Cypriots sovereignty. Anyone who looks into the East Mediterranean map can see that the TRNC not only is importance for the security of the Turkish Cypriots, but it carries great important for Turkey's security as well.

Here, I would like to say the following to someone who claimed that I will abandon Cyprus. I wonder about the mental ability of those who said or thought these."

[09] The Turkish Cypriots press on today's UDI celebrations

YENIDUZEN (15/11/01) reports that the Republican Turkish Party (RTP), in its message, said that within these eighteen years the economic situation in the occupied areas is going from bad to worse. The banks are closing, there is unemployment and many Turkish Cypriots are emigrating.

ORTAM (15/11/01) reports that the Communal Liberal Party (CLP) conveyed the message that the so-called TRNC has not achieved its goals.

AVRUPA (15/11/01) in its front page reports that eighteen years have passed since the foundation of the occupation regime. A "state" that has not been recognized by anybody not even by Turkey, which does not allow even its soccer teams to play in the occupied areas. Turkey also applies the economic and political embargoes that are applied to the Turkish Cypriots.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[10] The Greek Ambassador to Turkey calls on Rauf Denktas to come to the negotiating table

The Turkey Progress Report of the European Union (EU) has been announced. The views in the report are not a surprise. The EU does not seem to have paid much attention to the "unique conditions of Turkey", which Turkey set forth, in order not to conform to the Copenhagen criteria, which Turkey also signed.

We are approaching the end of our relations with the EU. The Greek Cypriot Administration on Cyprus is among the first six countries on the list, which will become full members. It will sit at the negotiation table with the EU in 2002. It will be a litmus paper in Turkey, which has undertaken steps for solving both the Accession Partnership Document and the National Program. I wrote last week that the Turkish Cypriot businessmen wanted Rauf Denktas, the Turkish Cypriot leader, to sit at the negotiation table and find a solution.

Greece is another party to the problem. In recent years, we have been experiencing a rapid rapprochement with Greece. Our meeting with Ioannis Corantis, Greece's Ambassador to Turkey, coincided with the date when the EU Progress Report was announced. Corantis, who came to Turkey in March 1999, is a diplomat who has expended great efforts for the rapprochement. He is working with a Turkish agency, the Bogazici Communications in Turkey and aims to tell the public about the approaches of Greece.

Yesterday, Corantis met with a small group of journalists. Naturally, our questions were concentrated especially on the subject of the EU membership of Cyprus. Corantis started his statements by saying: "We cannot say, 'Cyprus is becoming a member of the EU. Let Turkey do whatever it wants to do'" and frequently said, "Turkey's EU membership is of extreme importance from the aspect of the interests of Greece".

Corantis stated that Greece's position has changed during the past two years and he also expressed that this change created a concrete influence in the economy and "the volume of trade [between Greece and Turkey] exceeded $1 billion in two years. Tourism has developed. One hundred twenty thousand people from Greece came to Turkey".

We asked Corantis how he would interpret the statement of Ismail Cem, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, "If the Greek Cypriot Administration enters the EU, then we will annex Northern Cyprus". He responded by saying: "We are concerned. Cem's statements could perhaps be a tactic directed at domestic politics. Turkey has undertaken to solve the Cyprus problem. If it now talks about annexing, then it would have done something completely in violation of this contract. Why should the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots not benefit from the same advantages?"

To the question, "Why is there no agreement", he responded by saying: "We are at the negotiation table. We are prepared to make an agreement. Rauf Denktas does not come to the negotiation table. If he would come to the negotiation table, then a solution would definitely be found". Corantis also explained that he is already lobbying in Greece for Turkey to participate in the "Future of Europe" meeting to be held next year...

This conversation shows that an agreement to be reached on Cyprus will not only put Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots at ease, but Greece as well. The first step is to sit at the negotiation table.

"Turkey Should Have Confidence in Itself" We asked Corantis whether or not the EU really wanted to see Turkey as a member. His response is as follows:

"We do not think that Turkey is in a ring of fire. I do not agree at all with the thought that Turkey will not be accepted for EU membership because it is a Muslim country, because the EU is not a religious club. It is a union, which has values and principles. These values are democracy, freedom and human rights. Whoever accepts these can be a member... 'The EU does not want us.' I am always confronted with these sentiments in Turkey. It is as if Turkey is surrounded by enemies and rejected. Whereas, in front of us, there is a country in the EU process. Turkey should have confidence in itself. It should work towards this goal. These are sentimental reactions. Whereas, one should think more rationally."

[11] The Turkish Cypriots students are upset to be living according to the orders received from Turkey

However, let us not forget that these words reflect the genuine feelings of the young Turkish Cypriots, or at least a significant part of them.

I am talking about tonight's episode of the 32nd Day program.

Last week we visited Southern Cyprus, that is, to the Greek Cypriot section, where we talked with University students. A significant part of the viewers who watched that program sent messages of praise and said that they would like to hear from the young Turkish Cypriots as well.

That is what we have done. We have visited Yakin Dogu Universitesi, that is, the Near East University, and we interviewed only Turkish Cypriot students. The students from mainland Turkey were admitted into the hall only as guests. We took that path because it is the Turkish Cypriot youths who will actually be living in Cyprus. They will stay there while the students from mainland Turkey will return to their own homeland eventually. So, we preferred to hear from the real owners of Cyprus.

Tonight you will be astonished. I was quite surprised myself. I knew it all along but I had not expected the Turkish Cypriot youngsters to be so resentful, so reactive, so offended.

These youngsters resent some of the policies Turkey has conducted over the past three decades. They are not being thankless towards Turkey. There are, among them, those whose fathers or grandfathers fought against the Greek Cypriots and were martyred. Despite all this they are resentful because of the current situation. These youngsters are not happy to be living in Cyprus. They are not confident about the future. And they do not hide the fact that if things continue in this manner they will not remain in Cyprus.

They do not hide the fact that they will obtain Greek Cypriot passports should that be needed, that in fact some of them have already done so.

The view I was presented with gave much food for thought. I do not know whether you will get the same impression tonight.

These people do not have any bad intentions. They are merely young and impatient. Just like other youngsters they think about their futures. The incidents of the 1960s, Enosis or the Greek Cypriots' ruses are not on their agenda.

They do not see the Greek Cypriots as the enemy. When I asked them what kind of solution should be found to the Cyprus problem I received the following reply: "Any kind, just let us have a solution." They are not afraid of entry into the European Union. They say that if the federation will provide a solution they will opt for it. However, they add that Turkey's guarantee must not be scrapped immediately.

All these conflict with the official policies of both Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

If a solution is being sought without hearing out the young people I think a mistake is being made. This is because the impression I have got is that -- if the Greek Cypriots are admitted into the European Union and the TRNC is left out -- a lack of solution may lead to a situation where a great part of the "authentic Cypriot citizens" will leave Cyprus and those who have migrated to Cyprus from Turkey and become Cypriot citizens, will become the majority group in the TRNC.

I consider the situation as grave as that. At one point a student from Turkey in the audience wanted to speak, saying, "Then it would be best if you came up and annexed the TRNC to Turkey. Denktas would become the governor and Eroglu the mayor. And that would be the end of the issue. Both you and we would then be at ease." His words about annexation drew a negative reaction from the Turkish Cypriot students. I find this reaction quite remarkable. Those who are the real owners of Cyprus talked about how upset they are to be losing their identity and to be living according to the orders received from Turkey and with the money coming from Turkey. As I said, I was astonished. I knew about that but I was not aware that things had reached that stage. In the end, I went to TRNC leader Rauf Denktas and played out the tape recordings of the youngsters' statements. And I asked him, "Are the alarm bells ringing?" He too is uneasy. "

KV/SK

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