Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 02-05-09

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman calls on foreign representatives to be careful with statements on Cyprus.

[02] The Turkish Cypriot leader briefed the so-called Assembly on the direct talks for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

[03] The Turkish Cypriot leader will visit Ankara.

[04] Denktas/ advisor argues that Turkey should have established the pseudostate right after the 1974 invasion.

[05] Sabri/s father complains of being disturbed by people from the occupied areas.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[06] Our norms and the norms of Europe.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman calls on foreign representatives to be careful with statements on Cyprus

Dirioz told a press conference that they had stressed in every opportunity that foreign representatives working in Turkey should refrain from statements that could have a negative impact on developments in Cyprus.

The Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktas made a statement on Tuesday in which he said that European Union (EU) Commission's Representative to Turkey Karen Fogg continued her activities in a way that tried to destroy relations between Turkish Cypriots and Turkey.

Denktas had said: ``It is recently written in newspapers that Ms Fogg clearly said in a meeting in Istanbul that `we must separate Turkish Cypriots from Turkey, this is my fight. Turkish Cypriots should save themselves from Denktas.``

Upon questions, Fogg had said that she did not make such a statement and noted that the European Commission wished for success in ongoing talks in Cyprus and an agreement which would be beneficial to all relevant sides, concludes Anatolia.

Reporting on the same issue Hurriyet and Cumhuriyet (08/05/02 and 09/05/02), have started a concerted attack against the EU representative in Turkey Karen Fogg.

Columnist Oktay Eksi in his article in Hurriyet (08/05/02) strongly criticises Karen Fogg and says that she has been acting in an unbecoming manner to a diplomat and adds that her departure will be welcomed . Quoting Fogg's statement allegedly made during a Workshop organized by the Bogazici University in Istanbul ,Turkey (Tr note: see Turkish Mass Media Bulletin No.85/02, date 08/05/02 article 4)Eksi says that she is the citizen of an Empire (Britain) which invented Colonialism, and its very existence is built on the plundering of the poor people of the British colonies. Eksi suggests that Karen Fogg should be ''chucked out'' of Turkey. He concludes by warning Fogg that if she continues her behaviour she could be the looser. Cuneyt Arcayurek in two consecutive articles in Cumhuriyet (08 and 09/05/02) strongly criticizes Karen Fogg and demands that she should be declared '' persona non grata''. He says that Karen Fogg violated all the diplomatic rules in Turkey.

Meanwhile, Karen Fogg in a statement Cumhuriyet (09/05/02) said that the expressions attributed to her were not made by her.

[02] The Turkish Cypriot leader briefed the so-called Assembly on the direct talks for a solution to the Cyprus problem

In his statement after the extraordinary session, Denktas said that the meeting was very good and beneficial. Explaining that he briefed the "Assembly" on the latest situation in the Cyprus talks, Denktas added: "I briefed the Assembly, and I received information from the Assembly. It was very beneficial".

In reply to a question on whether he had any demands from the "Assembly", Denktas said: "No. We do not have any demands from the parliament. The session was held to give information, we gave them information and we received information from them. It was very good".

In reply to a question on whether he was satisfied with the outcome, Denktas said: "Yes, very much".

The so-called Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu, in turn, said that it was a beneficial meeting and added: " We put forward both the views of our party and the government. The political parties, in turn, expressed their own views".

In reply to a question on whether the need for a briefing can be interpreted as though a certain stage had been reached in the talks, Eroglu said that the document submitted by the Turkish Cypriot side and the response of the Greek Cypriot side was assessed in the meeting.

Salih Cosar, so-called state minister in charge of the economy, deputy prime minister and Democratic Party leader, emphasized that they extend full support to Denktas during the direct talks.

In his statement to illegal BRT after the extraordinary session, Cosar pointed out to the increasing views that there is an urgency in resolving the Cyprus issue, adding that it is a fact that there are forces such as the United States and the EU involved in the Cyprus issue other than Turkey, Greece, and the Turkish and Greek Cypriots.

Huseyin Angolemli, leader of the Communal Liberation Party, which is the main opposition party, said that Denktas briefed the "Assembly" on the latest stage of the direct talks. Recounting that the proposals submitted by Denktas to Clerides on 29 April were taken up at the closed session, Angolemli said that party leaders and "deputies" voiced their views on the proposals.

Stressing that Denktas had to brief the "deputies" on the proposals in a closed session before he submitted them, Angolemli said: "In order for such sessions to be productive, the proposals had to be presented at a closed "Assembly" session before they are submitted. The proposals had to be submitted [to the Greek Cypriot side] after the `deputies/ expressed their views on them. In this way, Angolemli continued, it would have been possible for the people to have participated in the direct talks. Noting that the direct talks should gain momentum, Angolemli said that the visits of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and other foreign representatives can accelerate the process".

Pointing out that both Denktas and Clerides issued statements to the effect that it is very difficult to secure a solution until June, Angolemli added: "Annan and the other sides will exert efforts so that, at least, a framework agreement is placed on the agenda in June". Angolemli continued: "At present, it does not look like the Cyprus issue will be resolved by June. A framework agreement can be secured by June if serious efforts are exerted, outside support extended to the process, and if the EU remains equidistant to both sides".

Meanwhile, according to YENIDUZEN (09.05.02) referring to the same issue Republican Turkish Party leader Mehmet Ali Talat said that nothing new was discussed during the session and added that he drew attention to the dangers deriving from the process. "By distracting the procedure and playing with time will put in danger the future of the Turkish Cypriots", noted the leader of the RTP.

[03] The Turkish Cypriot leader will visit Ankara

The paper writes that today at 16:00, the Turkish Cypriot leader will meet with president Ahmet Necdet Sezer, while on Saturday (14:30 hours) he will meet with Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. It is reported that it is not yet clear whether or not Denktas will meet with Prime Minister Ecevit as well, due to the fact that the latter is still resting after the health problems he had recently.

The three lectures of Denktas will be given on Friday. The first is planned to take place at the Political Sciences Faculty of Ankara University. At the second conference Denktas is expected to talk about the direct talks and the recent developments on the Cyprus problem. The third and the most important one, which is organized by the National Security and Strategic Researches Association, will be on "The future of Cyprus in the procedure for joining the European Union".

Denktas is expected to return to the occupied areas on Saturday afternoon.

[04] Denktas' advisor argues that Turkey should have established the pseudostate right after its 1974 invasion

Speaking at a conference on the tourism of the pseudostate, Soysal accused the European Union of following the worst course by trying to impose on the Turkish Cypriots a solution and of violating their human rights.

Furthermore, Soysal expressed the opinion that Turkey and the pseudostate are also responsible for the situation and added: "Mistakes were made. The most important of them is that Turkey did not prepare a long-term plan regarding Cyprus since 1974. If it had a plan, the situation today would have been different. The state should have been established then.The Cyprus problem is important and decisive for the future of Turkey.".

Meanwhile, AFRIKA (09.05.02) reports that Soysal answered also to questions on various issues. Asked on the issue of Turkish Cypriot football player Sabri Selden's fleeing to the free areas, Soysal said that he could not criticize him very much, because he does not know his feelings and his situation.

Referring to the so-called embargo applied to the pseudostate in the field of sports, Soysal claimed that UEFA could do nothing if Galatasaray, for example, visited the occupied areas of Cyprus and played a match with a Turkish Cypriot team. He alleged that UEFA could do nothing more than saying to the above-mentioned Turkish team that it would punish and expel it. In case these words turned into acts, argued Soysal, UEFA could be dragged to the court and condemned because it cannot take any decision on political issues.

[05] Sabri's father complains of being disturbed by people from the occupied areas

According to the paper, in short of what Sabri's father said, inter alia, is the following:

"We have not robbed anyone and we have not quarrelled with anyone. We have come to the South to play football and earn our living. .We are pleased with the people here. They treat us very well. .We have argument with no one in the North, but those who found our telephone number are continuously disturbing us. Yesterday an insider who called us from the North told us that the Council of Ministers decided not to punish us in case we returned. The message I wish to convey to them through your paper is the following: Let them leave us alone and not to try to convince us. We lived for 28 years and know very well what is going on in the North. My son Sabri made an agreement with AEK. He will play in the European Cup with Anorthosis. AEK has given Sabri on loan to Anorthosis for three months. .".

Meanwhile, asked on Sabri's issue, Osman Ertug, pseudostate's Washington representative, claimed the following: "I wish him luck, but there are a lot of incidents of this kind. He will definitely return back after the way they treated him. The South is not an economic paradise as it is alleged. Those who go there, return after the racist behaviour they find. The Greek Cypriots could not shelter even a handful of Gypsies. These Gypsies were forced to come back to the North".

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[06] Our norms and the norms of Europe

"For us to criticize Chief of Staff General Huseyin Kivrikoglu even in a mild manner would be unthinkable. There are cultural reasons for this as well as practical reasons... Those who do this would find themselves prosecuted. For the European to lambaste a leader to the extent of actually insulting him would be considered your right to criticise and would be acceptable.

So when the independent Reporters sans Frontiers (Reporters without Frontiers, RSF) group declared some international leaders the enemy of press freedom and added Kivrikoglu's picture among them and displayed them on the floor at the Saint Lazare station in Paris there was an uproar in Turkey. Turkish newspapers showed photographs of the world map with a picture of Kivrikoglu, mounted like other leaders deemed enemies of free speech by RSF on the image of their country. Some pictures showed passengers walking over the map and over the picture of Kivrikoglu -- a sight unthinkable and unacceptable in Turkey.

The incident is once again straining relations between Ankara and Paris. The French military officials have been told in Ankara to remove the picture in Paris. The Defense Ministry announced it has threatened to freeze military agreements with France.

This is all fine. But is the military prepared to sever its partnership with French auto maker Renualt? Can the French military attache or any French authority remove that picture? Does the French system allow this?

This incident clearly shows the huge gap between our norms and the norms of the European Union countries. What they see as a perfectly normal form of protest or criticism is a blatant insult, which is unacceptable for us. Yet, many of our journalist colleagues have visited the Al Rashid Hotel in Baghdad and have frequently stepped on the picture of George Bush at its entrance. They have displayed photos of this... Have they refused to step on the Bush photo? Has anyone protested them?

There is clearly a mentality gap between us and the EU. Can this gap be bridged? Not in the short run. Turks have to realize that some of the things, which are unacceptable to us will have to be tolerated in the future. If not, then we should make up our minds now whether we want to be a part of Europe and adopt its norms or not...

This incident also shows us a very important deficiency in our international image... It seems some people abroad do not accept the fact that Turkey is run by a civilian government. If that had been the case we would have been talking about Bulent Ecevit's picture instead of that of General Kivrikoglu. Yes, the insult to Kivrikoglu has hurt us Turks. Yes, we feel the Europeans have to show more respect to our sensitivities but we also have to remember that we too have to get used to certain nasty situations which may well be beyond our control and even the control of European governments as in the latest case in Paris...".

KV/SK

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article