Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-02-04

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TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No.23/97 4.2.97

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash meets Russian officials.

[02] Eroglu meets Turkish businessmen, encourages investment.

[03] Turkish Cypriot delegation returns from Strasbourg.

[04] Denktash, Eroglu, Serdar Denktash discuss foreign policy.

[05] Minimum wage on the decline.

[06] Ultranationalist terror camps in Turkey.

[07] Denktash repeats threats over Varosha.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash meets Russian officials

In a statement he issued after the meeting, Denktash said that the Russian officials reiterated their views to the effect that the sale of missiles to the Greek Cypriots had a commercial aspect to it and added that they had nothing against the Turkish Cypriots.

Denktash added that the Turkish Cypriots do not seek anything more than what is stipulated by the Ankara declaration, and that they will never agree to the deployment of the missiles on the island.

[02] Eroglu meets Turkish businessmen, encourages investment

Eroglu met with officials from the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen Fund and conferred with them for some time. In a statement prior to the meeting, Eroglu reiterated that 1997 will be a year of initiatives in the pseudostate. Noting that the Turkish Cypriot economy should be strong at a time when pressures are expected to increase, Eroglu asked Turkish businessmen to help investors in the "TRNC". He added that economic achievements have become important in the world.

[03] Turkish Cypriot delegation returns from Strasbourg

The Turkish Cypriot delegation which went to Strasbourg for the Council of Europe (COE) Parliamentary Assembly meetings returned to Cyprus and held a news conference.

Atun said at the news conference that he observed that Turkish State and Government officials support more than ever before a solution that will be based on the rights, interests, and equality of the Turkish Cypriots.

Mustafa Akinci, Communal Liberation Party leader, said that the Greek Cypriots got what they wanted, namely two chairs. He stressed that a bizonal and bicommunal federal solution is widely accepted.

Mehmet Civa, Republican Turkish Party "deputy", said that they come from the revolutionary school. He then said that the joining of two federated states under a federal roof is widely accepted in Europe. What is important, he said, is that the Turkish Cypriots clearly indicate what they demand for the solution of the Cyprus problem. He stressed that this should be made systematically.

Salih Muroglu, National Unity Party "deputy", said that in their contacts in Ankara, Strasbourg, and Bonn, they saw how the people of the pseudostate and the people of Turkey are united.

Democratic Party "deputy" Ismail Basarir stated that it was useful that the COE meeting was comprehensive, and that future meetings should also be comprehensive.

[04] Denktash, Eroglu, Serdar Denktash discuss foreign policy

Eroglu pointed out that efforts were being made lately to bring the two Cypriot leaders face to face at a meeting, but claimed that President Clerides' stand in Davos indicated that the Greek Cypriots will not adopt a stand seeking a conciliation this year. He added that everyone should know that the Turkish side will not accept any agreement that dilutes or eliminates the guarantee system.

[05] Minimum wage on the decline

[06] Ultranationalist terror camps in Turkey

The statement of Dogu Perincek, the leader of the Workers Party (IP), saying that there is a terror camp run by ultranationalist leaders has recently brought a new dimension to the situation.

Perincek's statements are based on the confessions of seven ultranationalists who have applied to the Labour Party's Istanbul branch. Perincek announced the presence of ultranationalist terror camps in Baybora Besi Farm which have been active since 1983, commanded by Kemal Oktem, the second most prominent name after Abdullah Catli among ultranationalists.

The secrets of many unknown murders lay in the camp, Perincek said, adding that many who had participated in illegal actions were hiding there.

Seven rightists who came over to IP claimed that the militants of nationalists and Nizami Alem - a fundamentalist fanatics - had been trained in murder techniques in the camp. They also explained that some people were brought to the camp by force, were interrogated under torture and had money extorted from them.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) report which the Justice Minister commissioned to the Interior Minister in 1970 talked about the developments in the ultranationalist youth and terror camps since the 1960 coup. The report was given to then-Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel. The report back's IP's findings.

Prepared by the Interior Ministry's Security Department's Important Works Management, the report is titled "Against the System and Activities Aiming National Integration and National Socialism".

The names of the associations and the unions of the ultranationalist youth are listed in the report, which evaluated the facilities which the 1960 constitution provided.

"The Association for Struggle Against Communism in Turkey: The aim of the formation of the association is to struggle against damaging and destructive ideologies, especially Communism", the report said.

"The Union of Idealist Clubs: The union has started to organize in the faculties and the colleges, and it is in contact with the Nationalist Action Party continuously and is a side organization of the party.

"Nationalist Youth Organization: This organization also receives orders from the MHP and was formed with the aim of struggling against all kinds of separatist and damaging activities".

The report mentions "Commando Camps", organized, administered and supported both financially and spiritually by the youth organizations of MHP, the Union of Idealist Clubs, the Nationalist Youth Organization and the Nationalist Turkish Students Union. The purpose of the camps, formed in different parts of Turkey since 1968, was to improve (sic) youths' ideology and physiques, teaching pan Turkism:

"A commando camp was opened on former MHP Mardin Deputy Rifat Baykal in Gumuldur Akrepkaya region in Izmir in August 1968. The camp was attended by about 150-200 young men, and administered by Rifat Baykal.

Another camp, which was established on the Ankara -Eskisehir intercity highway on August 3, 1968 was administered by the board member of MHP Dundar Taser. Retired soldiers provided the training, and the camp was attended by about 100 people. Camp tents were provided by the Red Crescent.

A camp established in Silivri province in Istanbul on August 28, 1968 was administered by Mustafa Ok. He was known as Commando Mustafa and played an important role in the student activities in Istanbul. The camp was visited by the leader of MHP, Alparslan Turkes, during a visit to Istanbul.

The retired colonel Ruhi Unal and technical designer Huseyin Gunel administered the camp, which was opened July 20, 1969 in the Ayas region in Yumurtalik, Adana. 350 youths participated in the camp.

There was another camp in Nambur Plato in Adana, established under the name of the Southern Region Commando Camp to train the young members of MHP by the Nationalist Hearths Union and the Young Nationalist Organization on July 29, 1970. 80 people participated in the camp at the beginning, 18 people attended the camp later on. The participants were young members of the MHP from Icel, Maras, Gaziantep and Adana and the provinces of these cities. It was established that there were 10 Smith & Wesson and 7 Kirikkale guns there. Turkes went to Bursa to visit the camp site in Yildistepe region within the Kumkaya village boundaries in Mudanya province on June 29, 1970. He ordered the establishment of the camp on the region which had been planned before.

The authorities of the MHP Bursa City Organization and the Young Nationalist Organization started to operate the camp on July 12, 1970 according to this order.

The needs of the camp were borne by the board member of MHP Kamil Koc and the MHP Bursa City Organization".

The report, which gives information about 28 such camps, says that the operation programs of troops such as SS and Storm Troopers in Hitler's Germany are also applied to the commando camps which were established by the MHP.

The commando camps which were explained in the report states they were the "Storm Troops" of MHP. It is said that the "Nationalist Commandos" showed of themselves in the armed conflicts between the leftist and rightists students in the universities specially after 1970.

Some of the activities of the armed nationalists which are mentioned in the report:

"The MHP commandos raided the Site Student Dormitory in Istanbul on June 3, 1969 and wounded six students who were member of the opposite group. A student named Mustafa Bilgi died in an explosion which took place in the entrance floor of the Nationalist Turkish Students Union office in Cagaloglu at 01:15 on September 21, 1969. Three students were injured with the fires opened by the Nationalist students during a student conflict in Gazi Teachers College on June 22, 1970. The law school in Ankara was taken over by a group of armed MHP commandos on the night of August 21, 1970. 17 nationalist were arrested in the raid by the security forces".

The report states that the camps have abolished and the weapons which the nationalist commandos had used in their activities, have been abandoned. It was also stated that the numbers of the weapons were at a worrying level.

The report also states that these nationalist groups are in contact with Turks abroad, specially in the Caucasus.

[07] Denktash repeats threats over Varosha

Denktash claimed that to every step that the Cyprus Government is taking, they will take a reciprocal step. (MY)