Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-12-09

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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: ^�A rebellion as in Georgia is not possible here^�.

[02] Akinci says that by paying compensation to Mrs Loizidou Turkey has accepted that it is ruling northern Cyprus and that the title deeds given by the occupation regime are not valid.

[03] Turkish Cypriot professor: ^�By paying compensation to Loizidou all Greek Cypriots gained the right to return to the north^�.

[04] The ECHR will reportedly begin following closer the occupation regime^�s ^�Compensation Committee^�.

[05] Turkish firms are illegally investing in occupied Cyprus.

[06] The occupation regime filed charges against two newspaper distributors who sold lottery tickets of the Cyprus Republic.

[07] The occupation regime arrested three Cypriots who published a bilingual newspaper.

[08] Erel stated that after the ^�election^� the pseudostate will start its economic integration with Turkey.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[09] Columnist in AKSAM newspaper criticizes the Turkish governments for their efforts to persuade the Turkish public that the invasion and occupation of Cyprus has legitimacy.

[10] Columnist in HURRIYET criticizes the policy of Turkey over Cyprus. Rumours that the Customs Union Agreements between Turkey and occupied Cyprus is being revitalized.

[11] Mehmet Ali Birand supports that the pro-solution forces are loosing ground in the forthcoming voting in occupied Cyprus.

[12] Commentary in Turkish Daily News gives details about the voting next Sunday in occupied Cyprus.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas: ^�A rebellion as in Georgia is not possible here^�

When Mehmet Ali Talat, was asked: ^�Is it possible to experience the Georgian example in the TRNC?^� during a private TV program the other night, Talat said: ^�If the election results become doubtful, then we will react. Our people react as well. We cannot remain silent^�.

Commenting on this answer the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas said in Istanbul: ^�They are getting ready by saying that the election results will be doubtful. They want to turn the place into Georgia. Is this possible? It is not possible to experience the things that happened in Georgia^�, Denktas declared.

Earlier, Denktas said the same thing when the same question was put to him by a group of visiting senior HURRIYET journalists last week. Denktas said to them: ^�It is not possible to have a Georgia type rebellion here. Here we have the Turkish army corps. They will never allow something like that to happen. The opposition does not have such potential here. Is it possible to engage in such a stupid thing?^�

A similar view was expressed in opposition AFRIKA newspaper of today (09.12.03) in its main editorial. Commenting on the rumors fabricated by pro Denktas forces that opposition will instigate the people to come in the streets as in the case of Georgia if it looses the elections, AFRIKA writes: ^�One fifth of the population in north Cyprus are soldiers ^�That is, for every five persons there is one soldier. Add to it the Security Forces Command and the police force^�Don^�t you think that it is a figment of imagination to say that events which happened in Georgia might happen on this small piece of land?^�

[02] Akinci says that by paying compensation to Mrs Loizidou Turkey has accepted that it is ruling northern Cyprus and that the title deeds given by the occupation regime are not valid

Addressing yesterday a gathering of his party at occupied Famagusta, Mr Akinci reminded that the supporters of the status quo have been insisting that Turkey would not pay compensations to Mrs Loizidou for depriving her from the right of enjoying her property in occupied Kyrenia.

Mr Akinci said: ^�As we said Turkey paid the compensation of one million 120 thousand euros accepting that it could not abandon its EU course. By paying this compensation, Turkey has accepted that it is ruling in northern Cyprus and that the title deeds given in northern Cyprus are not valid^�.

Mr Akinci noted that those who are still thinking to vote for the pro-status quo parties at the ^�elections^�, should think about it once more after the Loizidou decision, because: ^�the Loizidou case is the best proof that the status quo could not continue^�.

Mr Akinci added: ^�If those, who have in their possession properties more than they have the right to posses, are thinking to continue possessing these properties contrary to the international law by voting for the non-solution. They are making a mistake. The duty of the Turkish Cypriots is giving the majority in the parliament to the pro-solution parties on 14 December and bringing the PDM into a powerful position among this majority. Thus, they will not leave to their children a problem, but a real state, a real identity, a real title deed and a European future^�^�.

[03] Turkish Cypriot professor:^�By paying compensation to Loizidou all Greek Cypriots gained the right to return to the north^�

Professor Dayioglu said that by paying the compensation, Turkey has fulfilled its obligations deriving from the international law. Mr Dayioglu noted also that it is not yet known whether or not the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will take the objections submitted by Turkey to the Committee of Ministers into consideration. Noting that the ECHR could not accept these reservations submitted to a political organ, because the court has to be independent, Dayioglu added: ^�Alleging that the Loizidou decision will not constitute a precedent for other Greek Cypriot applications to the ECHR, does not seem realistic^�.

[04] The ECHR will reportedly begin following closer the occupation regime^�s ^�Compensation Committee^�

The paper publishes a report by the semi-official Anatolia News Agency from Strasbourg. According to the report ^�a high ranking ECHR official^� told Anatolia News Agency that the ECHR would evaluate how the occupation regime^�s ^�Compensations Committee^� will be functioning and how effective it is.

The official said that there are more than 400 Greek Cypriot applications at the Court at the moment and added that these applications could be referred to the above-mentioned ^�Committee^�, in case such thing is considered necessary.

The Court, noted the official, will examine about 40 applications for which there is a decision that they should be examined. The official has reportedly said: ^�The ECHR will decide on the applications for which there is already a decision that they should be examined. However, in case the Compensations Committee works well, in spite of a possible violation decision that could be taken here, the court might not decide for a compensation to be paid^�.

[05] Turkish firms are illegally investing in occupied Cyprus

The hotel and the tourist facilities will cost 45 million dollars and they are expected to function in April 2005.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily CUMHURIYET newspaper (09.12.03) reports that in statements during a meeting with Mr Sener, Serdar Denktas, leader of the Democratic Party, underlined the importance of this investment, noting that in 28 years only eight thousand-bed facilities have been built in the occupied areas, whereas with the project at Vokolida village, 7.5 thousand-bed facilities will be built within two years. Mr Denktas argued also that there are some things that should be done in Morfou area as well, so that the economic balance is achieved.

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (09.12.03) reports that the Chambers of the Turkish Cypriot Architects and Engineers (CTCAE) and the Turkish Cypriot Building Contractors^� Union (TCBCU) protested about the construction of the ^�Artemis Hotel and Vacations Village^�, the foundation stone of which was laid by Mr Sener. The above-mentioned organizations accused Mr Sener of being a partner in an illegal act. The chairman of the Architects Chamber, Mr Mehmet Vahit warned the members of his chamber to act ^�legally^� and noted that they should not violate the ^�laws^�. ^�We have launched legal procedure against our members^�, he said.

The Turkish mainland company, which is constructing the ^�Artemis Hotel and Vacations Village^�, is accused of not having examined the project before the commencement of the construction, as the ^�laws^� of the pseudostate provide. It is also accused of not acquiring the necessary building permit and of acting ^�illegally^� having the support of politicians. The Turkish Cypriot organizations support that the Turkish company has taken a building permit upon oral suggestion of the ^�Minister of Internal Affairs^� to the so-called District Officer of occupied Trikomo.

[06] The occupation regime filed charges against two newspaper distributors who sold lottery tickets of the Cyprus Republic

[07] The occupation regime arrested three Cypriots who published a bilingual newspaper

The pseudopolice arrested the Turkish Cypriot journalist and administration member of the Press Workers Trade Union (BASIN-SEN) Aziz Ener and the Greek Cypriots Sotiris Laos and Floranza Dumanos. The pseudopolice also seized the papers. The pseudopolice did not give any explanation for the reasons that led it to ^�arrest^� the three Cypriots. However, AFRIKA writes that the pseudostate proved once more that it is a ^�police state^�. It also writes that the occupation regime ^�cannot tolerate that the two communities of Cyprus can live in a brotherly manner and tries to create a terror atmosphere^�.

Commenting on the issue, Mr Izzet Izcan, Peace and Democracy Movement Co-coordinator, stated that this event showed the need of democracy in the pseudostate.

[08] Erel stated that after the ^�election^� the pseudostate will start its economic integration with Turkey

Mr Erel stated that the date of the economic integration will be known after the ^�elections^� and added that with the solution of the Cyprus problem all the sectors of the economy will be saved. Mr Erel also stated that the economic relations between Turkey and the pseudostate could not reach the wished point until today.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[09] Columnist in AKSAM newspaper criticizes the Turkish governments for their efforts to persuade the Turkish public that the invasion and occupation of Cyprus has legitimacy

^�The facts of life and things that we are forced to do resemble an algebra equation. One minus might suddenly cancel all your plusses. You might lose your bearings.

When filing a complaint against Turkey in Strasbourg in 1998, could Greek Cypriot heroine Loizidou have known that she would turn the concept of treason upside down in Turkey in the years ahead? Given that the prophets of Pamphilia no longer live in the north of her island, there is no doubt that she could not have known this. The European Court of Human Rights sentenced Turkey to pay 900 billion Turkish lira (800,000 Swiss francs) to Loizidou. This decision was reached on grounds that the Turkish military units in northern Cyprus have been preventing Loizidou from using her forefathers' lands since 1974. In addition to paying this sum to Titina, Turkey will also have to allow her to use these lands.

Turkey did something very strange in court. Despite the fact that Turkey has been indoctrinating its people with the awareness of the legitimacy of its presence on the island and despite the fact that it has been harshly accusing those who oppose this view of treason, Turkey has acted just like those whom it accuses of treason. For years Turkey has objected to the decision that the `TRNC� lacks international legitimacy and kept saying that it has remained on the island in order to protect its kinsmen from the Greek Cypriots.

Now that Turkey has a passion for the EU, it appears to be willing to pay this compensation after taking the necessary measures against the possibility that the suits filed by 600 Greek Cypriots in Strasbourg might also result in the payment of indemnities. Within this framework, Turkey has also put an annotation in the face of the possibility that the Loizidou ruling might constitute an example to others.

The Strasbourg courts reach decisions with the votes of 45 countries, among them Switzerland, which firmly opposes Turkey. This means that Turkey cannot receive guarantees regarding the aftermath of the Loizidou case from these 45 countries. It is obvious that only the confidence building efforts that Turkey will make in the process of becoming part of the civilized world will ensure these guarantees. It can get out of the swamp in Strasbourg by ridding itself of itself.

Nicosia has been cut into two just like an apple since 1974. Despite the fact that Turkey had initially believed that it took the better half of the apple, this half got rotten, losing its original taste and charm. It became worthless due to its unpleasant odor. There is no need to praise the other half of the apple. After all, the national income shares, the democracy, and the liberal economy of the Greek Cypriots are common knowledge. And finally, they have joined the most civilized union even though they do not have any borders with it.

Under such circumstances, it is possible to say that it was useless

-- to enable the settlement of disloyal migrants in the island;

-- to drag out the trial processes;

-- to keep the literature of valor alive;

-- to isolate those who opposed the policy of idiocy and to accuse them of treason;

-- to transfer dad's money in order to eliminate the poverty in the Turkish side of the island;

-- and, to make miserable efforts to deceive the United Nations by slyly opening the borders.

There are people who claim that given that the United Nations is not involved in the developments in Iraq, the country in question is under occupation. Is it not more appropriate for these people to try to understand that the United Nations should once again take action for a federal Cyprus prior to the termination of our EU dream?

Please allow me to talk about a more pathetic outcome. When Greek Cypriot diplomacy applied to the EU, it conducted bargains over the entire population of the island. If order is established in Cyprus with the intervention of the United Nations, the Turkish Cypriots -- the foster child under your protection -- will become an EU member before you. The plump ruling class will prepare its luggage and it will escape to the civilized world at a time when you foolishly squander with the encouragement of your flatterers. Under such conditions, you, and not them, will be defined as illegitimate. This is the only possible outcome.

In the meantime, you might have been trying to figure out how many language schools, how many prosthesis centers, and how many computer networks can be established with 800 billion [currency not specified]. After all, is there any wisdom in idiocy?^�

[10] Columnist in HURRIYET criticizes the policy of Turkey over Cyprus. Rumours that the Customs Union Agreements between Turkey and occupied Cyprus is being revitalized

^�I want to say it doesn't have one, but I cannot make myself go that far. So I guess the best description for the government's policy on the `TRNC� is probably "two [steps] forward and one [step] back"!

As someone who took part in the weekend trip to Cyprus organized by the Helsinki Citizens' Council for various columnists and civil society organization representatives, the question I was asked most often on the Island was:

"For God's sake, why would the [Turkish] government send a minister to Cyprus just a week before the `TRNC� elections?"

You try to respond that "The visit must have been planned ahead of time", but then, justifiably, they ask:

"What are they going to discuss with a government that is going to resign a week later?"

The Republic of Turkey government must be confused as well, since it was first announced that three ministers would be visiting, then this figure went down to one, and then still later it went back up to two.

As for the rumors as to how many days they will be staying, they varied as of the time that this column was being written.

In terms of the reasons for the visit, any number of topics are adduced, ranging from the payment of the first installment of a 160-million-dollar loan to the construction of an undersea electricity transmission line to pass between the `TRNC� and Turkey. There are also those who speak of the revitalization of the Customs Union Agreement.

As for me, I say that: "If the Turkish government once again brings up the idiocy of the 'Customs Union between the Turkish Republic and the `TRNC�', it means they're absolutely just stringing the `TRNC� along."

The single action in what I have termed the "two [steps] forward and one [step] back" policy regarding the `TRNC� that most clearly demonstrates the Turkish government's stance is the fact that it paid the compensation in the Loizidou case just a short time before the elections.

By paying the Loizidou compensation, the government, which has to know better than any of us that there is a direct correlation between the response it will get from the EU in December of 2004 and its own existence, as well as between the Cyprus issue and that response from the EU, has given clear messages to the world and to the `TRNC� voters.

For one thing, the compensation, which has been waiting since 1996, could have been paid after the election.

By paying the compensation now, the government:

1) Since the payment meant accepting the rationale behind the compensation just prior to the `TRNC� elections, its `TRNC� policies of 30 years was overturned, it accepted the European theses, despite their harsh conditions, and bankrupted the policies of the status quo.

2) And not only paid the compensation, but also promised the entire world, before the Council of Europe, that it would resolve the Cyprus issue during the year 2004.

The delay in implementing the property transfer stipulation in the Loizidou case until 2005, even if it has no legal standing, politically means "convincing the other side in terms of the promise that was given."

The government is more aware than any of us that this payment, in the eyes of the ECHR [European Court of Human Rights], indeed does represent a precedent for thousands of similar cases that will cost a billion times a billion dollars.

It made the payment in spite of this.

The people of the `TRNC� should read this message properly.^�

[11] Mehmet Ali Birand supports that the pro-solution forces are loosing ground in the forthcoming voting in occupied Cyprus

Several opinion polls and many journalists say that the opposition is losing ground in Turkish Cyprus. However, one or two weeks ago, an opposition victory was being heralded.

The reasons for the weakening opposition are listed below;

1. Criticisms from the EU and the U.S. and the negative atmosphere caused by Verheugen's recent statements.

2. The fact that the Turkish government supported Denktas after these criticisms.

3. The fact that the Turkish military gave signals that it favours Denktas.

4. The fact that the opposition seems too much in favor of the Annan Plan

5. The campaign led by Denktas.

We cannot be sure about the decision of the public unless the results of the elections are revealed. However, the opposition doesn't seem happy with the existing atmosphere.

It is important to underline that if the existing situation continues in Cyprus, Turkey will lose both Cyprus and EU membership.

Then, Turkish Cypriots will have nothing to say.

[12] Commentary in Turkish Daily News gives details about the voting next Sunday in occupied Cyprus

^�Some 140,000 persons will vote in Northern Cyprus (`TRNC�) by the end of this week, i.e. Dec. 14th, and the decision of this small population -- fewer voters than the smallest districts of Istanbul or Ankara -- will affect the future of 65 million people in Turkey.

The correlation between the Cyprus elections and the future of Turkish people is simple: If the election is won by the status quo, the team supported by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktas, the `TRNC� will not approve the so-called "Annan Peace Plan for Cyprus" before May 2004 and the Cyprus Republic will become an EU member without the Turkish side enjoying the rights of membership and Turkey can forget receiving a membership date from the EU by the end of 2004. That is clearly outlined by the EU.

This will not only end Turkey's 40-year dream of EU membership but as a consequence our hard-won stability of 20 years will be lost and the present government might have to resign. It will be held responsible for not keeping its promise to get a date from the EU.

Or else, it will be forced to resign by the status quo that already hates it because the party was divided into at least 3 pieces.

Today, I would like to give some demographic information about Cyprus so that the reader will have an overall picture of North Cyprus. Who will affect the future of Turkey?

According to Erhan Goksel's "TRNC Election Survey," there are only 5 election districts. In terms of the origins of voters: 61.4 percent of the voters are originally from Northern Cyprus, i.e. had settled there before the occupation of 1974. Some 14.2 percent came to the North from the South, now under Greek rule; and 23.1 percent came from Turkey after 1974. The origins of the last 1.4 percent are unknown.

Almost 80 percent (75.6 percent) of the Turkish Cypriots are original Cypriots and one out of every four have been imported from the Motherland.

Those under the age of 40 do not remember the days of the pre-1974 "Greek terror."

Thus, the young one's opinions are not influenced by the old, bad days. Therefore, it is also important to grasp the distribution of the population according to age.

As reported by Mr Goksel, 51.5 percent of the population is between 18 and 41. Those above the age 41 make up 33.1 percent of the electorate. The `TRNC's� people are "young."

Almost 2 percent (1.9) of the people are unschooled, 16.7 have attended primary school, 13.5 percent are middle school graduates, 40.3 percent have high school diplomas and 26.9 percent are university graduates.

Turkey statistics are:

The unschooled make up 14.2 of the Turkish people, 51.3 percent attended primary school, 12.1 percent middle school, 12.2 percent high school and only 4.3 percent are university graduates.

It is very clear that the population of the Motherland is much less educated than the so-called Babyland.

The work force is 5.4 percent public workers, 17.6 percent private sector workers, 6.9 percent bureaucrats, some 6.8 percent marginal or jobless, 22.4 percent tradesmen, 9.1 percent self-employed, 4.6 percent employers and 10.2 percent is retired.

The figures show that some 22.5 percent depends on the government for their living. Turkey sends $12 million per month, 35 percent of the `TRNC's� national income.

That is the way it is in Northern Cyprus during election week.^�

/SK

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