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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 01-06-14
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
TURKISH PRESS
AND OTHER MEDIA
No.111/01
14.6.01
[A] NEWS ITEMS
[01] The so-called Prime Minister presented the �government program� to
the pseudo-assembly.
[02] The Turks are threatening again for crisis.
[03] Mustafa Akinci accuses Denktash, Eroglu and circles in Turkey of
not wanting Turkey to accede to the EU.
[04] Denktash continues to accuse his opponents of treason and spying.
[05] Rauf Denktash defends the establishment of NPM.
[06] Merve Kavakci has applied to the ECHR against Turkey for violation
of her Human Rights.
[07] Study on the economic prospects for Cyprus after a settlement was
presented to the Turkish Cypriots.
[08] So-called Assembly speaker approaches the Cyprus problem with an
Ottoman Empire mentality.
[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS
[09] Turkish Cypriot writer says property main issue in Cyprus.
[10] Turkey urged to review its stand on the European Army.
[11] The real motives of the Youth Organization of the National People/s
Movement.
NEWS ITEMS
[01] The so-called Prime Minister presented the �government program� to the
pseudo-assembly
All the Turkish Cypriot papers today (13.6.01) report that the so-called
Prime
Minister Dervis Eroglu read out the 26-page program of the National Unity
Party [NUP]-Democratic Party [DP] coalition �government� at the �Republican
Assembly� yesterday.
At the beginning of the �Assembly� session, Mustafa Akinci, leader of the
main opposition Communal Liberation Party, criticized the fact that illegal
Bayrak Radio and Television were not relaying the reading of the program
live." Eroglu explained that this was due to a live relay of an important
conference on the Cyprus issue at the �Near East University�. He then
proceeded to read the �program�.
Eroglu said that "in full cooperation with motherland Turkey," the new
�government� will pursue policies to overcome the current economic and
social problems, to increase prosperity, and to make the �TRNC� gain a
respectable place in the world. He stressed that in its performance, the
�government� will uphold the principles of democracy, human rights, justice,
and equality, as well as the �TRNC's� political, economic, and social
realities.
According to the program, "the NUP-DP coalition government will pursue its
foreign policy in full cooperation and solidarity with motherland Turkey.
A special place, importance, and priority will be given to the ties with
motherland Turkey. Efforts will be made to increase the cooperation and
solidarity between the TRNC and Turkey in every field."
"The program then says: �In the search for an agreement in Cyprus, the
following are principles that cannot be relinquished: equal sovereignty,
the continuation of Turkey's active and effective guarantees for security,
and the solution of the property issue by means of an exchange of property
or through compensation. The starting point for the quest for a lasting
peace on the island is the acceptance of the existing realities.
"It is stressed in the coalition program that the Greek Cypriot
Administration cannot represent the Turkish Cypriot people or the whole of
Cyprus in any way. The fact that the Greek Cypriot side views the island
as a Greek island and that it does not give up its title of the so-called
Cyprus government -- a title it usurped by armed force -- or the world's
failure to make the Greek Cypriot side give that title up, is the reason why
the Cyprus problem has not been solved for 38 years. If an agreement is to
be reached in Cyprus, it can only happen on the basis of two separate,
equal, and sovereign states. An acceptance of the realities must be the
starting point for the efforts to seek a solution.
"The program warns that if the Greek Cypriot Administration is accepted as a
full EU member, Cyprus will be irrevocably divided. It stresses that if
the Greek Cypriot Administration is accepted in the EU unilaterally, then
the �TRNC� will move toward an integration with motherland Turkey.
"On the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights [ECHR] on Cyprus, the
program says that the Greek Cypriot Administration is using the ECHR to
eliminate the parameters formed during the UN process that has been going on
for years, and to impose its own conditions for an agreement.
"The program states that it will be one of the government's priority
objectives to develop the political, financial, economic, technical, and
defense cooperation relations with motherland Turkey. It says that every
effort will be exerted, together with motherland Turkey, to overcome the
inhuman embargoes being implemented against the Turkish Cypriot people and
state."
According to the program "the TRNC will speed up the activities of its
representations abroad until the TRNC can make its voice heard
independently. Until that time, it will also further expand the
implementation of a functional and structural cooperation protocol signed
between the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the TRNC Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Defense. In this way, every effort will be made to make the
voice of the TRNC heard on every platform discussing the Cyprus issue."
In its program, the �government� vows to try to develop the relations
between the Turkish Cypriots living abroad and the �TRNC�.
On the economy, the �coalition government� affirms that it will pursue a
liberal economic policy in line with free market conditions but will keep in
mind the social structure in the country. Therefore, it says, "the state
will not intervene but regulate the market." The government also promises
to speed up privatization projects, to minimize the state's economic
activities, and to try to integrate the �TRNC's� economy with that of Turkey
and the world. It says it will speed up the efforts to establish a joint
economic zone with Turkey and to ensure the free entry of the �TRNC's�
products into Turkey with a view to exporting them to the world. The
�government� also promises to review the customs levied on imports from
countries outside the EU, to minimize bureaucratic procedures in exports,
and to restructure the economy.
The �government� says it will review the incentives system, encourage
foreign investments, transfer the power to supervise the banks from the
�ministries to the Central Bank�, to back up the public banks in line with
current conditions, to study the state of the insolvent banks, to encourage
the merger of banks, and to increase the credit possibilities of the
�Development Bank�.
The �coalition government� promises in its program to encourage the small
and medium-scale enterprises, and to take steps that will increase exports,
employment, and industrial production.
"Under the program, cooperation will be conducted to formulate monetary
policies jointly between the Central Banks of the TRNC and Turkey.
Domestic loan-taking mechanisms will be set up to meet the state's
short-term liquidity needs. The budget's expense structure will be changed
and the tax laws will be made more practical and fair."
The �government� vows to carry out a comprehensive judicial reform in
cooperation with Turkey, to improve the index-linked salary raise system
concerning public sector employees, to solve the infrastructure problems of
�Bayrak Radio and Television�, "to attach more importance to having the
voice of the TRNC heard over the Internet, and to support the current
website by means of documentaries on the TRNC as well as written and visual
material explaining the national cause."
Under the �program�, the �government� affirms it will improve the
educational, sports, and municipal systems. It promises to solve the
housing problems, raise the prosperity level of the farmers, develop land
and maritime transportation, raise the standard of the health services,
develop tourism, and try to be part of international agreements on
environmental issues.
The �Assembly� debates on the coalition program will be conducted on 15
June. A vote of confidence will be held one full day after the debates are
completed.
[02] The Turks are threatening again for crisis
The Turkish threat that a major crisis could come up in the Eastern
Mediterranean if the Republic of Cyprus enters the European Union before the
solution of the Cyprus problem, was once again repeated yesterday by
professor of Ankara Gazi University, Osman Metin Ozturk, who was speaking at
the three-day �Cyprus` past and present and vision for the future� symposium
organised in occupied Nicosia by the illegal Near East University (NEU).
According to KIBRIS (14.06.01), professor Ozturk said that the crisis which
could occur in Cyprus may be �much more different and comprehensive� than
the regional crisis which broke up in the Balkans after 1990, in the
Caucasus and in the Middle East. Mr. Ozturk claimed that Greece has now a
�wide freedom of movement� in the Eastern Mediterranean because of the S-300
missiles which are deployed in Crete, but the distance between Greece and
Cyprus �does not provide permanent guarantee to this freedom�.
Meanwhile, speaking at the same symposium, retired general Kemal Yavuz
claimed that according to its population the defence budget of the Republic
of Cyprus is 13 times bigger than the same budget of Turkey. KIBRIS reports
that general Yavuz spoke in detail about the armaments of the Republic of
Cyprus and the capacity and capabilities of the National Guard.
Referring to the S-300 missiles which the Republic of Cyprus bought from
Russia and �after Turkey`s pressure�, as he said, deployed on the island of
Crete, Mr. Yavuz noted, among other things, the following: �...These
missiles were not brought today (to Cyprus). However, tomorrow, and
especially after the accession to the EU, the situation will change and then
there will be a preventing power�.
On the other hand, the American professor of International Law in the
University of Fordham, Patrick Hugg, noted that the two communities of
Cyprus �should take their place in the EU� defining their status and
co-operating. �The future of Cyprus is within the EU�, stressed Mr. Hugg,
who supported that new approaches are necessary in Cyprus and that the
�traditional and old� policies, including those which are based on the
International Law, should be re-examined and changed.
KIBRIS reports that in his speech Mr. Hugg described a model by which the
two communities of Cyprus could take together their place in the EU and
underlined that the negotiation procedure aiming at finding a solution to
the Cyprus problem should continue. Mr. Hugg said also that the division of
the island is a disadvantage for Cyprus` EU accession process when it is
compared with the other candidate states. �There are boundaries in Cyprus,
this could clearly be seen�, claimed Mr. Hugg expressing the view that a
better and a safe future would be ensured for the island if all the �key
parties� saw that �Cyprus consists of two communities which have equal
rights�.
Meanwhile, professor Adel Safty of illegal Eastern Mediterranean University
(EMU) said that in spide of the existing similarities between the Turkish
Cypriots and the Palestinians, they could not understand the �common
interests in the same way�, because the Arabs consider the Turkish Cypriots
�as a small group�. Mr. Safty claimed that in 1974 Turkey �came to the
island to prevent a genocide� and added that it was not possible for Turkey
and the Turkish Cypriots to come closer to the Arabs because of Turkey`s
friendship with Israel.
Furthermore, Hasan Unal, professor of International Relations in Bilkent
University, said that the latest developments in the Balkans are similar to
the process in Cyprus. He alleged that the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia was
the same as the �crimes� committed in Cyprus by the Greeks against the
Turks.
On his part, the retired general Cevik Bir alleged that Cyprus` EU accession
would be tantamount to �Enosis� (unification with Greece) and expressed the
view that the Republic of Cyprus wants to join the EU for political reasons.
By joining the EU, said Mr. Bir, the Greek Cypriots want to show that Turkey
is an occupation power in Cyprus. General Bir expressed also the view that
the creation of a European Army within the framework of the European common
defence policy is not possible, adding that even if this army is created it
would not be able to serve the purposes of its creation.
Meanwhile, in his speech the English lawyer, Michael Stephen claimed that
the pseudostate has �the constitutional ground� to be recognised , but �the
international forces which do not want peace in the island isolate the
Turkish Cypriots from the world�. Mr. Stephen alleged that the UN decisions
prevent the sides in Cyprus to reach an acceptable agreement and expressed
the opinion that Security Council Resolutions 186 and 541 should be
abrogated.
On the other hand, professor of International Law, Nanette Neuwahl claimed
that the accession of Cyprus to the EU must be after the solution of the
Cyprus problem on the basis of the confederation proposal. Otherwise,
alleged professor Neuwahl, instability and dangers will be caused for the
region. He argued that federation is not applicable in Cyprus, alleging that
now there are two �states� on the island.
Addressing the symposium, the retired so-called Attorney General, Zaim
Necatigil said that the recent conviction of Turkey by the European Court of
Human Rights (ECHR) and especially the sections concerning the right of
property, destroys the principle of bizonality agreed between the two sides.
Mr. Necatigil argued that the decision should be taken seriously under
consideration, because it closely concerns the relations of Turkey with the
Council of Europe and the EU.
[03] Mustafa Akinci accuses Denktash, Eroglu and circles in Turkey of not
wanting Turkey to accede to the EU..
In an exclusive interview to Leyla Tavsanoglu in CUMHURIYET (14.6.01)
Communal Liberation Party (CLP) leader Mustafa Akinci, has accused those who
were against introducing changes in the occupied area, of forcing the
so-called National Unity Party NUP-CLP �coalition government� to break.
Akinci accused Denktash, Eroglu and people in Turkey of preferring to see
Turkey outside the EU.
Akinci said that he never stopped expressing his views which he thought were
in the interest of Turkey and the occupied area and that this made some
people feel uneasy.
Akinci went on and said: �Yes, this stance of mine made some people feel so
uneasy that they forced the foreign minister in my cabinet to speak against
me. I have always been in favour of strengthening the independent identity
of the TRNC. On the one hand you talk to the outside world about a
settlement on two states basis and on the other you see that the civil
authorities of the TRNC are unable to even have a say on the fire fighting
department. The police force is not under you. You will not be able to
appoint a TRNC citizen as the governor of the TRNC Central Bank. And after
all these you will come up and tell the world/ I am a state, recognize my
sovereignty/. I cannot accept this double-faced hyppocritic policy. Of
course I wanted to strengthen the independent identity of the �TRNC�. I also
wanted democratization and more civilian role.
Because of these two issues some people reached the conclusion that the
government has completed its tenure of office. And this was whispered to
Mr. Eroglu/s ears�.
Akinci also accused Eroglu of not telling the truth to the people.
When asked what the way out of this situation is, Akinci said: The solution
passes through Turkey/s making a turn and re-considering the Cyprus
problem.
One has to listen to what the leader of the main opposition party leader
says. Our messages have just now slowly slowly started reaching the Turkish
Public Opinion�.
[04] Denktash continues to accuse his opponents of treason and spying
According to KIBRIS (14.6.01) the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has
again accused his opponents, mainly �AVRUPA� daily and its writers, of
treason, spying and getting money from foreign envoys in Cyprus.
He said that a foreign diplomat promised him to supply the names of those
Turkish Cypriots who get money from foreign envoys. However, Denktash
added, the diplomat failed to supply these names.
Denktash further said that he has the names of these people and when the
time comes he will disclose them.
As regards the spying case of AVRUPA Denktash said that the Greek Cypriot
agent who has the evidence refused to present it to the court �because at
the last moment he has asked for a payment 20 times more than the payment
they have originally agreed upon.�
He further claimed that he has seen the evidence himself and that it was
people from inside AVRUPA who bombed their printing office.
Reacting to Denktash/s accusations AVRUPA (14.6.01) under banner headlines
�Everything is a Lie� challenges Denktash to disclose everything at his
disposal.
AVRUPA accuses Denktash of acting in an unbecoming manner.
[05] Rauf Denktash defends the establishment of NPM
According to KIBRIS (14.6.01) the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, once
more came forward and defended the establishment of the National People/s
Movement (NPM) saying that it is the voice of the silent people who are
attached to Turkey.
Denktash said that the NPM is an answer to the opposition group known as �41
organizations�, which demand a solution to the Cyprus problem, rapprochement
with the Greek Cypriots and accession to the EU.
Denktash denied the accusation that NPM is a fascist organization.
[06] Merve Kavakci has applied to the ECHR against Turkey for violation of
her Human Rights
According to Turkish Daily News (13.6.01), Merve Kavakci, who lost her
Turkish citizenship rights by ministerial verdict, has filed an application
against Turkey at the European Court of Human Rights.
Merve Kavakci was elected member of Parliament with the islamist Virtue
Party during the last parliamentary elections in Turkey, but was never
allowed to take a seat in the Grand National Assembly because she was
wearing a headscarf.
The paper reports that Kavakci held a press conference at the Hilton Hotel
in Strasbourg yesterday concerning her application to the ECHR.
[07] Study on the economic prospects for Cyprus after a settlement was
presented to the Turkish Cypriots
According to KIBRIS (14.6.01) the USA Development Agency has asked Nathan
Associates to prepare a study on �The Economic Future of Cyprus:
post-settlement prospects�.
The study was presented to the Turkish Cypriots in occupied Nicosia
yesterday by Mr. Walter Douglas chief of the Press and Public Relations of
the US Embassy.
Twenty Greek and Turkish Cypriot experts took part in the preparation of the
study.
[08] So-called Assembly speaker approaches the Cyprus problem with an Ottoman
Empire mentality
KIBRIS (14.06.01) reports that the so-called Assembly speaker, Ertugrul
Hasipoglu has said that the Turkish soldiers who participated in the 1974
invation were given land and the right to settle in the island, just like it
had happened in 1571 with the Ottoman soldiers who conquered Cyprus.
Yesterday, during a meeting with the new administration of the Black Sea
Cultural Association, which consist of settlers who came to occupied Cyprus
from the region of Black Sea in Turkey, Mr. Hasipoglu expressed the view
that there is no �Cypriot nation� and that such a nation never existed.
Mr. Hasipoglu claimed that the Turkish Cypriots are an �inseparable part� of
the Turkish nation and that the Turkish Cypriot �people�, as he
characterised the Turkish Cypriot community, consist of people who come to
Cyprus from different parts of Turkey since 1571.
[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS
[09] Turkish Cypriot writer says property main issue in Cyprus
AVRUPA newspaper (8.6.01) publishes a commentary by Mustafa Onurer with the
title: �Denktash Caused Trouble to the Turks in Turkey�. The full text of
the commentary is as follows:
� Cahit, one of Avrupa newspaper's columnists, constantly writes about the
issue of the exchange of property in Cyprus. Cahit argues that properties
have not been granted in north Cyprus to Turkish Cypriots who have left
their own properties in south Cyprus.
However, the seized properties of Greek Cypriots in north Cyprus have
already been sort of distributed with the help of the mafia. Moreover,
these properties have by now changed many hands. A significant part of the
properties in north Cyprus are now in the possession of those who have
purchased these properties.
A number of people have earned substantial amounts of money from the trade
in these properties. A wealthy sector that earns its living out of the
trade in properties has come into beings thanks to the trade in the
properties left by the Greek Cypriots in north Cyprus. Thus, these
properties have already been taken care of. At the same time, a large
sector made up of citizens claiming that these properties belong to them has
come into being. These citizens have all the right to claim these
properties.
Meanwhile, the European Court for Human Rights has decided that the Greek
Cypriot refugees must return to their properties in north Cyprus. However,
Rauf Denktash and the mafia dealing with these properties are saying that
the Greek Cypriot refugees must forget returning to their properties in
north Cyprus. Denktash and the mafia argue that these properties have now
become completely Turkish Cypriots properties. Did not Denktash make huge
sums of profits by dealing with these properties?
If you examine Denktash' remarks to the effect that "the Cyprus problem
cannot be solved unless the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is
recognized," you will see that the issue of properties lies beneath these
remarks. When you resolve the issue of properties, you will see that there
is not the slightest difference between Rauf Denktash and Glafcos Clerides.
The talk about federation or confederation is nothing but idle talk. The
issue of property is the main issue. Denktash is stressing that this issue
must be resolved through the exchange of property method. Therefore, the
issue of properties is the main reason why Denktash is stressing that the
Greek Cypriots may not return to north Cyprus. Otherwise, why should the
return of Greek Cypriots to north Cyprus bother Denktash? Did not Greek
Cypriots exist in north Cyprus before? Let them send 50,000-100,000 Greek
Cypriots to north Cyprus. What harm can these people do if they return to
north Cyprus? Nothing.
So many Kurds have arrived in north Cyprus. Was there any harm in the
arrival of these Kurds? No, of course not. Therefore, the problem does
not lie in the return of the Greek Cypriots to north Cyprus. The problem
lies in the fact that the Greek Cypriots want to return to their own
properties. However, are there any remaining properties in north Cyprus
that can be handed over to the Greek Cypriots?
These properties have already been sold. On the other hand, the properties
that remained unsold are in the hands of the soldiers. Therefore, there
are no more properties that can be handed over to the Greek Cypriots. Yet,
Cahit wants the handing over of properties to Turkish Cypriots in north
Cyprus in return for the properties that these Turkish Cypriots abandoned in
south Cyprus? Has Cahit lost his mind?
I refer to exactly this issue when I say that Denktas drew the Turks of
Turkey into trouble. Is not Denktash aware of the fact that Sabanci
Holding, Koc Holding, and other firms in Turkey have to make serious
concessions in north Cyprus in order for Turkey to gain EU membership?
Well, these firms are in trouble now. A sector including Turkish Cypriots,
Turks from Turkey, and soldiers that has gained huge amounts of money from
the trade in these properties has come into being in north Cyprus.
The interest of this sector hangs on these properties now. What will
happen to the gambling houses now? On what property were these gambling
houses built? I ask these questions to Asil Nadir, who exerted huge
efforts in order to keep his hotels running, only to lose them in the end.
What will happen now to those that are still in his possession?
While politicians in Turkey were engaged in political wrangling and
corruption scandals, thereby sentencing politicians to jail terms, Rauf
Denktas was standing firm in his position, because he had his foundation
laid very firmly. Let them adhere to the ECHR decisions if they can.
Look at how Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem is calling for
the recognition of TRNC. Well, there is no other way of solving the
problem, because solving the Cyprus problem through other means would cost
billions of US dollars.
Naturally, Denktash and the mafia dealing with these properties would have
no objection if the EU and the Untied States spend the required money in
order to solve the problem, because Denktash and the mafia would once again
make additional profits in this way. That is, the Cyprus problem can be
solved by either through the recognition of TRNC and the resolving the issue
of properties through the exchange of properties method, or the EU and the
United States must pay compensation to those who lost their properties [in
north and south Cyprus]. Can the problem be solved through other means?
No, it cannot, because Turkey would not and cannot pay any compensation.
Well, you, Mr. Denktas, who were never elected as President, are a strange
man. This issue reminded me of Hitler's endeavor to send the Jews to the
gas chambers. A number of people used to believe that Hitler did this
based on his fascist ideology. We, for our part, could not comprehend
this, because while the Germans needed trains to transport weapons, they
used to transport Jews on these trains to take them to the gas chambers.
This is unbelievable.
However, the question is simple. All the high-ranking Nazi officials had
expressed their approval to the whole issue and each one of these officials
was somehow involved in the matter. Everyone knows the nature of the
crime, which is a crime against humanity. Given that each of these Nazi
officials were involved in the whole affair, each one of them is a partner
in the crime committed against the Jews. These officials had vowed to die
with Hitler. Well, this is the main reason behind the endeavour of the
Nazis to send Jews to the gas chambers.
Rauf Denktash, for his part, succeeded in adopting a similar method. Thus,
Denktash set up a team that seized properties and thereafter traded in these
properties. All the members of this team are partners in Denktash' crime.
The members of this team will encounter troubles when Denktash and TRNC
fall. Turkey, for its part, has also been drawn into this affair. Thus,
Turkey will also encounter troubles when Denktash and TRNC fall.
Therefore, only the United States and the EU can save Denktash. The United
States and the EU can resolve the issue by reaching an agreement with the
government of the Republic of Cyprus and paying smaller amounts of
compensations after turning a deaf ear to the demands of the owners of these
properties and persuading the government of the Republic of Cyprus to also
turn a deaf ear to these demands. Turkey alone cannot solve the issue.
Therefore, let us pray that God facilitates the job of Turkey, the United
States, and the EU. Let us wait and see the manner in which they will
solve the Cyprus problem.
In conclusion, Denktas caused trouble for everyone�.
[10] Turkey Urged To Review its stand on the European Army
In a commentary in Istanbul Posta (14.6.01) with the title: Turkey has
concerns About European Army�, Mehmet Ali Birand writes:
�The Turkish public could not fully perceive the reasons for Ankara's
persistent objections to the ESDC (European Security and Defense Concept),
its demands about this matter and its threat to use its veto in the NATO.
In order to simplify the whole picture let us name the ESDC as the European
Army, a 60,000-strong rapid deployment force which the European Union
intends to create with its members. This force will be used if the NATO (or
the United States) refuses to intervene in a crisis in Europe (like the one
we are witnessing in the Balkans) and the EU eventually decides to intervene
alone. Turkey will have a say in this process should the European army want
to carry out its intervention by using the NATO's capabilities (planning,
command control, military airports and spy satellites).
There is no big problem up to this point, but the real difficulty emerges
here. Retired Ambassador Yalim Eralp raised this problem in its article in
Haber Turk news portal on the Internet: What would happen if the European
Union launches a military operation on its own without making use of the
NATO's capabilities?
This is the question that really disturbs the Turkish General Staff which is
concerned that the European army may intervene in a crisis in Cyprus or in
the Aegean in the future. Turkey does not want to confront the EU army in
the event it is engaged in an armed conflict in these two areas. Concerned
about the possibility of a military intervention which the EU may launch in
an effort to protect Greece, it is trying to forestall such possibilities
right at the very beginning.
It has developed two separate scenarios for this purpose:
1. The EU cannot carry out a military operation in Europe even on its
own before it has received the green light from Washington and nobody could
resist an operation which could be blessed and supported by the United
States. In that case Ankara would not be able to take any considerable step
to oppose it.
2. The second scenario, which Turkey mainly focuses on, is based on the
possibility of a military operation that could be launched by the EU in
Cyprus or in the Aegean region without first consulting with the United
States. Turkey is presently going to great lengths to prevent this
possibility. In other words, it is trying to have a say in a military
operation, which could be conducted by the EU by entirely using its own
capabilities outside of the NATO, or to secure a place in a mechanism that
could prevent that from happening if conditions warrant. It goes without
saying that this is a goal difficult to achieve. The EU has refused this
demand, arguing that it would include any country other than its members in
its decision-making mechanism. Consequently, Turkey has threatened to veto
the European army's whole relation with the NATO.
Turkey may be bypassed
This is a possibility that the United States does not want to happen.
There is a probability that the EU army may entirely become independent of
the NATO in the face of Turkey's veto, eventually diminishing Washington's
control on the EU's military operations.
Eralp has drawn attention to this possibility, giving events that took place
in Portugal in 1974 as an example. When the communists joined the government
in Portugal the NATO created a parallel group outside of its official
meetings and handled its affairs in this forum from which the Portuguese had
been excluded.
A similar scenario ostracizing Turkey may be put into action unless a
solution is eventually found. In other words, the United States may sign a
bilateral agreement with the EU to permit the latter to use US military
capabilities in any operation the EU may launch alone. After all, the NATO
consists of US intelligence satellites and communication and planning
facilities.
Hence, they may solve the problem by circumventing Turkey and this would be
the worst solution.
Is Ankara overestimating the value of its bargaining chips?
And, is Ankara misjudging the realities?
Perhaps, time has come for putting these questions to ourselves�.
[11] The real motives of the Youth Organization of the National People/s
Movement
In a commentary in AVRUPA (11.6.01) Sevgul Uludag analyses the role of youth
organizations in occupied Cyprus, as follows:
The movement that the state, the soldiers, and the civilian defense forces
are trying to organize under the name NPM [National People/s Movement] under
the command of the state has announced the formation of a youth organization
under the name NYM [National Youth Movement].
I do not know what purpose will NYM serve, because the young people have
already chosen their political organizations a long time ago in accordance
with their own class and interests.
As a center Right political party, NUP [National Unity Party] will occupy
its proper place within the EU in the future. DP [Democratic Party], on
the other hand, has come into being after being severed from NUP and has
never emerged from its position under the shadow of Rauf Denktash.
Moreover, DP has not been able to prove that it has matured and this
political party appears more like an association run by the commanders than
a political party.
As a political party in the center Right with social grassroots and with
its own youth and women's organizations, NUP appears like a political party
that will continue along its own course after absorbing DP within its
structure. Meanwhile, most of those working within the executive cadres of
the NUP Youth Association are either university professors or students
trying to gain master's degrees at universities.
On the other hand, it is clearly evident that not a single individual
working within the cadres of DP's youth organizations is of any high
standards and that DP's youth organizations have not carried out any
significant activities or displayed their existence. Not much can be
talked about DP's youth organizations, because DP does not have any youth
organizations.
As a center Left political party, RTP [Republican Turkish Party], for its
part, will take its proper place in the EU in the future among the socialist
or social democrat parties. The youth organization of RTP has also been
established properly. Everyone can see that the RTP Youth Organization
includes among its ranks university students as well as university graduates
who have gained their master's or doctorate degrees.
As should have been expected, the RTP Youth Organization members are
slightly ahead of the principles adopted by RTP. In addition to being
slightly ahead of RTP, the Democratic Youth Organization members have at
times displayed a more fiery and excited attitude, which is quite natural.
Yet, the members of the RTP Youth Organization cannot be defined as
adventurous.
The RTP Youth Organization recently successfully held a youth festival
together with EDON [the youth branch of AKEL, Restorative Party of the
Working People]. Some 3,500 individuals participated in this festival.
Despite the prevailing unfavourable circumstances and the endeavour of the
state to deter their activities, the young RTP members have taken serious
steps toward conciliation and rapprochement. Meanwhile, the protocol of
cooperation that the young RTP members have signed with EDON constitutes a
significant step in the development of relations between the [Turkish and
Greek Cypriot] communities.
The young people of PUM [Patriotic Unity Movement], for their part,
represent the more radical and militant sectors of the Left with their
attitude, activities, approach, and the issues that they raise on their
agendas. The PUM Youth Organization has actively taken part in the
organizing of scores of bi-communal meetings and activities, thus
introducing the motto "common homeland, common struggle" expression in the
vocabulary of the young people.
In addition to publishing the Patriotic Youth periodical, the PUM Youth
Organization publishes a newspaper named Ozgurluk [freedom], the special
issues of Patriotic Youth and a number of other publications, particularly
on the Cyprus problem. The PUM Youth Organization also uses the advanced
technology as a means of waging its struggle. Thus, this youth
organization is the personification of an exemplary youth organization.
The PUM young people have played their most important role when they have
held a commemorative ceremony in honour of the two communists Misaulis and
Kavazoglu, who have been murdered during the sixties. Former union members
who have witnessed these events in those days have also been present at the
ceremony. No commemorative ceremonies whatsoever have earlier been held in
north Cyprus in honour of the two communists under discussion.
The mere ability of the PUM Youth Organization to organize such an event
shows that these young people are of high standards. Meanwhile, the PUM
Youth Organization also keeps alive its international political relations by
trying to convey the problems of the young Cypriot people to the whole world
and by conveying to Cyprus the experiences they gather from other political
youth movements in the rest of the world. Thus, the PUM Youth organization
is acting like a bridge...
Meanwhile, in contrast to its small size, the youth organization of the
Social democrat CLP [Communal Liberation Party] plays a significant role
like the youth organizations of RTP and PUM from the perspective of
reflecting its views regarding peace and democracy and from the perspective
of voicing
these views on various platforms.
There are a number of extremely bright young people among the ranks of the
CLP Youth Organization. The voices of the social democrat young people
will be heard more clearly when the road is paved before these young people
in the future and when politicians refrain from perceiving these young
people as a mere tool for gaining votes during elections.
The EKIM (October) Youth Organization, one of the socialist youth
organizations, for its part, gathers together the militant young people
under its own umbrella. Thanks to the work that it conducts in organizing
theatre groups and educational activities with the help of its own
resources, EKIM has proved its existence among the rest of the youth
organizations.
Is there anything missing in this picture? The political youth
organizations have to a certain extent occupied their own places in the
country. Each one of the young people belonging to these youth
organizations has determined his rank in accordance with his own class and
interests and is carrying out his activities accordingly.
While the NUP Youth Organization is propagating the integration policies
with flattery, the young people belonging to the youth organizations of RTP
and PUM are rejecting these policies. DP, for its part, cannot claim that
it has a youth organization anyway.
Therefore, which masses does NYM plan to target? Will the young people
belonging to the NUP Youth Organization join NYM? Will they do this in
response to an order issued by a commander? Will NYM try to achieve the
things that the Idealist Hearth Organization--which was not accepted by the
Turkish Cypriot people--failed to achieve?
Considering that the "striking team" of TMT [Turkish Resistance Movement]
was in its early stages made up of unemployed, powerless, and uneducated
young people, will the grassroots of NYM also be made up of unemployed and
hopeless young people who lack any of the qualities of the young people
belonging to the aforementioned youth organizations!
Will NYM prepare cadres for the "striking teams" of NPM? Will they give
cars, revolvers, and money to these unemployed and hopeless young people and
tell these young people that henceforth they will be part of this "striking
team?"
Who will be the targets of these "striking teams?"
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