Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-01-24

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Erdogan now speaks about a partnership with two founding states.

[02] The Turkish Premier repeats that his government wants a solution satisfying both sides in Cyprus.

[03] The leader of the Nationalist Action Party is having contacts in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[04] Talat: "We will lock Denktas in his palace".

[05] A two thousand seven hundred years old statue of the archaic period, was found in Karpass peninsula.

[06] Erdogan restored as JDP leader; court decision sparks controversy over November polls.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Sener Levent calls on the Turkish Cypriots to ask for their rights in the Republic of Cyprus, stressing that the Republic of Cyprus is better than the Annan plan for all the Cypriots.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Erdogan now speaks about a partnership with two founding states

When asked whether or not they had made any commitment in their meeting with U.S. President Bush during their visit to the United States that Turkey would stand by the United States about the Iraqi issue, Erdogan said: ``We did not make any commitment. We only evaluated the developments.``

Noting that they had taken up not only the Iraqi issue but also economic relations between Turkey and the United States and the European Union (EU) and Cyprus issues, Erdogan said they had expressed in those meetings the view that they were in favor of peace, adding that he was not a person that had the authority to make commitments and he had held contacts as the leader of JDP.

Regarding a possible operation against Iraq, Erdogan said they were in favour of solving the issue through peaceful ways and that the report of the U.N. weapon inspectors should be awaited.

Erdogan said that they thought it positive as Iraqi Head of State Saddam Hussein permitted inspectors` investigation, adding: ``Very different developments may happen after summit meetings. I don`t think that hope for peace totally ended.``

When asked whether or not the Cyprus issue would be solved until February 28, Erdogan said that the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas had the signature authority.

Stressing that it was impossible for them to accept a policy of `give and get rid of it`, Erdogan said that there should not be a priori acceptances for solution of the Cyprus issue.

Recalling that they had been talking about a ``partnership state based on two founder states`` since the beginning, Erdogan added that the government extended utmost support to the puppet regime/s government.

[02] The Turkish Premier repeats that his government wants a solution satisfying both sides in Cyprus

Speaking at the meeting, Gul said that Cyprus was among the most important issues on the agenda.

Stressing that his government`s attitude towards the Cyprus issue was a little bit different from the attitude of previous governments, Gul said: ``Unfortunately, a perception has appeared in the world that `non-solution is Turks/ solution so Turks consider non-solution a solution`. It is a different issue whether or not we deserved this but there is such a perception. So our government`s attitude is `non-solution is not solution/. Consequently, our intention is to sincerely expend efforts to reach a solution that satisfies both sides in Cyprus.``

Noting that there was a concrete plan, Gul said that talks were under way under this plan.

``However, I want to say clearly here that we don`t think it right to give up everything by believing that `we solved the issue`. At this point, both sides, the United Nations and all countries that are directly or indirectly interested in the issue should know that this should reach a point of mutual satisfaction.

To this end, we are sincerely carrying out works and we continue our negotiations within this framework. I hope that this issue would be solved at a satisfactory point on February 28. As I have said, we are expending great efforts but also the other side should expend the same efforts,`` Gul added.

[03] The leader of the Nationalist Action Party is having contacts in the occupied areas of Cyprus

In statements during the meeting with Bahceli, Mr Denktas said that the Turkish Cypriots are lucky because Turkey/s interests are the same as theirs and that the decisions of the Turkish governments, the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the National Security Council have turned the Cyprus problem into a national cause and lead to the establishment of the puppet regime.

Mr Denktkas added: "Efforts are being made to give away and to destroy this country. We are exerting efforts to bring about peace, but we do not want just any peace. Within the framework of our national cause, we are making joint efforts with Turkey to bring about a lasting peace that will not take us back to the 1963/s. We need the support of our motherland to this end".

On his part, Mr Bahceli said Turkey wants the Turkish Cypriots to maintain their national identity and to live in security under Turkey/s de facto and effective guaratee, as founding people who have equal sovereign rights.

Mr Bahceli expressed support for Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas and called on the new Turkish Parliament to hold a referendum on Cyprus so that the Turkish political parties not represented in Parliament may express their views.

[04] Talat: "We will lock Denktas in his palace"

The CLP leader Angolemli has said that the Annan plan mainly fulfils the Turkish Cypriots/ expectations and that they too want some changes in the plan. However, he added, it could be accepted even in its present form without any change. Angolemli went on and said that the opposition in the occupied area demanded from the UN to put forward a plan, because, he said, neither Denktas nor Clerides had the intention to reach an agreement in the direct talks.

In case of not signing an agreement the Greek Cypriots would enter into the EU alone, said Angolemli, and in that case the Turkish Cypriots will become a minority and they will resort to "individual liberation" and they will acquire Republic of Cyprus passports and will leave the island. And since the Greek Cypriots would be unable to return to their properties they will recourse to the European Court of Human Rights and Turkey would be forced to pay 30-40 billion Dollars compensation. Angolemli claimed that the Greek Cypriot side was not going to sign anything in Copenhagen on 12 December. He conceded that the opposition experienced a major shock when Denktas refused to go to Copenhagen.

In his turn the RTP leader Mehmet Ali Talat as well criticized Denktas and accused him of not wanting a settlement in Cyprus. "We definitely do not trust Denktas", Talat declared. Claiming that the Greek Cypriots have entered the EU without making any concessions, he said that Denktas no more represents the interests of the Turkish Cypriots "We are definitely doubt aboutful his good will," Talat noted.

Referring to the forthcoming December elections in the occupied area, Talat declared that in case Denktas wants to stay on that post then "we will lock him in his presidential palace". Talat as well declared that the Annan plan could be signed even in its present form. Referring to Denktas' threat that he would resign if the Turkish Cypriots adopt the plan in its present form, Talat said that in that case a major chaos will break out because in north Cyprus there is no one to sign the Annan plan". I am ready to sign it", Mr Talat said.

Talat went on and demanded from Denktas to tender his resignation now and he (Talat) in coordination with Turkey to conclude the Agreement . "If Denktas resigns I have the chance to negotiate," Talat concluded.

[05] A two thousand seven hundred years old statue of the archaic period, was found in Karpass peninsula

According to the paper the statue was found yesterday in a retaining wall and was used as a building stone for a house, like the previous statue found in the village of Ayios Theodoros. According to the Famagusta area "official" of the "Department of Antiquities and Museums", Hasan Tekel, the statue is made of limestone, has no head and legs, and is about 50 cm tall. It is estimated to be dated on the second half of the 8th century BC. Commenting on the fact that the two statues were found to be part of building stones for houses, Hasan Tekel said that even until recently people in Cyprus used what they consider to be natural rocks as retaining walls for their houses.

[06] Erdogan restored as JDP leader; court decision sparks controversy over November polls

The JDP leadership met on Thursday morning, hours before Erdogan left for the world economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, and formally re-elected him to the chairmanship, constitutional procedures this time duly observed.

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday said Erdogan could not lead the party but said if he were re-elected he could assume the post again with full powers.

"I see every obstacle as an opportunity... However much I praise God that I have been given a role in the struggle for democracy and freedom in this country, it is not enough," Erdogan said after he was re-elected by his party's executive board in a unanimous vote.

Erdogan further said that he was sorry about the resistance to prevent the removal of barricades in front of democracy in Turkey.

Erdogan led his party to a landslide victory at the November elections. Erdogan was convicted in 1999 for inciting religious hatred and barred from politics but the law under which he was sentenced was amended after the November polls.

In October, a lower court ordered Erdogan to step down as party chief because he violated laws by founding the party despite his conviction. Erdogan refused to step down but did resign as a founding member as the court requested. On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court said that since Erdogan resigned as a founding member he could no longer exercise the powers of a party leader.

The Constitutional Court Chairman Mustafa Bumin yesterday responded to criticism against the court. The court was criticized for being slow in deciding Erdogan's leadership status as the prosecutor applied to the court on October 23.

Bumin said that the three-month period trial process was not long, finding the criticism unfair. Stating that the court had many cases awaiting trial at present, Bumin noted that the criticism should be made within the limits of respect.

JDP officials believe that there's no legal obstacle in front of Erdogan to be active in politics as he's been re-elected once again. Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said yesterday that there was no constitutional or legal obstacle in front of Erdogan's making politics, emphasizing that there would be no special bans for a certain individual in a democratic secular civil state.

Erdogan is widely expected to become prime minister after he runs in parliamentary by-elections in March. Erdogan has already been acting as if he was the head of the government, meeting with dignitaries around the world.

Abdullah Gul is currently serving as prime minister, but is expected to step down if Erdogan wins a seat in Parliament at Siirt by-elections to be held at the beginning of March.

Legal changes have lifted a political ban that accompanied Erdogan's past conviction, though there is still room for the Supreme Election Board to bar him from running.

Turkish renowned businessman and beloved figure Sakip Sabanci said yesterday that Erdogan should become prime minister since people voted to make him the prime minister. Sabanci said that Turkey should eliminate the impression of a "double-headed" administration. Subtitle: Court decision sparks controversy over November polls The Constitutional Court caused widespread amazement by ruling that Erdogan's position as party leader was invalid on a technicality.

Renowned jurists of the country started to discuss whether Erdogan's position as party leader was invalid since October, a month before the poll or not, since this situation may also necessitate the cancellation of November 3 elections, for which JDP ran under the chairmanship of Erdogan.

Erdogan was named as the party leader in the ballot papers at the November 3 elections and certain jurists claim that this may be a cause for the cancellation of polls as they believe that the Constitutional Court decision was retroactive.

Although Justice Minister Cicek and deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayir support that the court decision was related with JDP, Constitutional law expert professor Erdogan Soyaslan claimed that the top court gave a decision, which made all the transactions of Erdogan, including the elections, controversial.

"All the signatures of Erdogan are invalid. The elections became unhealthy," Soyaslan added.

Claiming the opposite, professor Orhan Aldikacti, architect of the 1982 constitution, said that the decision of the top court was not retroactive, emphasizing that Erdogan's transactions as party leader were valid. According to Aldikacti, the court's decision is valid as of January 22.

When responding to a question on this issue, Supreme Election Board (SEB) head Tufan Algan said that the board would evaluate the issue if there were an application demanding the cancellation of the elections.

Algan stressed that the court's rationale was yet to be issued, saying that the board would discuss the situation if there were a necessity to take a retroactive decision in line with the court decision.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Sener Levent calls on the Turkish Cypriots to ask for their rights in the Republic of Cyprus, stressing that the Republic of Cyprus is better than the Annan plan for all the Cypriots

"Ali Erel says the following to Denktas:

The Greek Cypriots will be obliged to give us our rights recognized in the Annan plan. However, if the 16 April passes, they will be accepted alone into the EU under the name 'Republic of Cyprus'.

Ali Erel says that the following will happen in that case:

- The rights given to us by the Annan plan will be eliminated.

- No reference could be made to two separate states, two separate administrations and two separate parliaments.

- The Greek Cypriots will begin to demand all their properties in northern Cyprus.

- The Turkish Cypriots will run away from the island and everybody will search for his own personal salvation within the EU.

- The citizens of Turkey will not have the right to live in northern Cyprus.

The words of Erel are true, but they are incomplete. The accession of the Republic of Cyprus into the EU will not be the end of the world for us. The Turkish Cypriots too are citizens of the Republic of Cyprus. This Republic has been established with our partnership and lives with our partnership status. No one in the world, except us, calls the Republic of Cyprus 'a Greek Cypriot Republic'.

Have we asked for our partnership rights in this Republic and they were not given to us? If you wish let us try and see what will happen. Let us see, will they say to us that 'this Republic is not yours, it is a Greek Cypriot Republic'?

The Republic of Cyprus is not a disastrous Republic for us, like Denktas, RTP and Ali Erel present it. Furthermore, in our opinion this Republic is better than the Annan plan for all the Cypriots. Do not look at the issue as a Turk or a Greek. Learn to look at it as a Cypriot.

The Annan plan is divisive, while the Republic of Cyprus is unifying. If an agreement is not signed until 28 February and the Republic of Cyprus remains for us, then why would it be a disaster? Why would our citizens abandon the island? Did everybody leave when in the 1960 the Republic of Cyprus was established? Why shall they leave now?

Do not forget to say to the people these things also, when you tell them what will happen if an agreement is not reached. And try to claim our rights in the Republic of Cyprus, which we have not claimed for forty years. They say that there will not be two separate administrations. Let there not be.

They say that there will not be two separate states. Let there not be. They say that there will not be two separate parliaments. Let there not be. Let us be a united whole. Do you really think that the two-headed creature is better?"

/SK

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