Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 05-06-21

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat declares their conditions for sitting at the negotiating table.

[02] RPP and its leader call on the Turkish government not to abide by its EU commitments.

[03] A public survey showed that two out of three JDP supporters are against the USA.

[04] The police force in the occupied area of Cyprus is being increased.

[05] A delegation of the of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (COE), which is visiting occupied Cyprus noted that the visit should not be interpreted as recognition of the pseudostate.

[06] The pseudostate has imported goods worth 2 billion, 342 million dollars between the years 2002-2004.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Back door constitution to repeat the casus belli against Greece and Turkey�s interests and rights in EU-member Cyprus.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Mr Talat sets pre-conditions for the resumption of solution talks. He explains how he misleads the Europeans that he is ready to negotiate the fenced area of Varosha and the usurpation of the Greek Cypriot properties

In statements to illegal TAK news agency, Mr Talat argued that they are exerting efforts to reformulate a cause that has been lost and to win it. Accusing the former Turkish Cypriot administrations of leaving the Turkish Cypriots without defence and of loosing the cause of Cyprus, Mr Talat said that the new struggle would be long and that they would be moving step by step and achieving minor successes.

We cannot expect a great victory at once. The great victory will be only with an overall solution of the Cyprus problem. We are planning small but important steps for being able to bring onto the agenda the overall solution in a manner that will be protecting the interests of the Turkish Cypriot people, he added.

Noting that their new Cyprus policy will be the policy of attack, Mr Talat said: We are always ready for negotiations. While we negotiate we have one and only condition. When we sit and when we get up from the negotiating table we will not lose anything if an agreement is not reached and when we sit at the negotiating table we will be equal.

Referring to the recent talks between the representatives of the two communities in Brussels, Mr Talat alleged that the Turkish side has shown the necessary flexibility and that the EU has to make a step on the issue of the lifting of the so-called isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.

He said that during the negotiations they were determined to protect the rights entrusted to them by the Turkish Cypriots and that they will in no way abandon the rights and the interests of the Turkish Cypriots on the negotiating table.

Mr Talat noted that the Greek Cypriots have submitted various proposals during the negotiations such as putting a moratorium on the constructions in the occupied Greek Cypriot properties, the return of the closed city of Varosha within a certain timetable etc. As Turkish side we put forth that the Financial Aid and the Direct Trade regulations should be together and that giving something to the Greek Cypriots in return is out of the question, he said and added that this was the first meeting of the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots in Europe.

Mr Talat argued that the Turkish Cypriots lost nothing after the above-mentioned meeting. On the contrary, he said, they gained one thing. We proved that the old policy of not negotiating, not sitting at the table and abandoning the table has changed. Now we are not the side that abandons the table, he alleged and added:

As Turkish Cypriot side we proved to the EU that we can be flexible. We have not been accused when we got up from the table. We have registered that we are ready for an agreement and reconciliation. This was an important step.

Mr Talat said that the solution of the Cyprus problem will be under the umbrella of the United Nations.

Asked on which issues the Turkish side has shown its flexibility in Brussels, Mr Talat noted that they stressed that the worries of the Greek Cypriots were groundless and that on their agenda the issue of returning the closed city of Varosha does not exist. This is a part of the overall solution and could take place within the framework of a give and take process under the UN, he said.

However, he went on and added that something could be done on the issue of Varosha before the solution, only in case the Turkish side gets something equal to Varosha in return.

Referring to the issue of the moratorium on the usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties, Mr Talat said:

If we consider that there is a proprietorship proportionate to the population in the northern part of Cyprus, if the 70 80 percent of the properties in the north are Greek Cypriot properties, then we cannot have development with the 20 25 percent. Therefore, the moratorium is out of the question for us. Furthermore, there is a very big exaggeration. It is true that there is a developing building sector, but there should be no irrational allegations such as the one that says that no Greek property will be left.

Mr Talat said that the Turkish side will not be satisfied by the creation of a small unit that will be conducting trade with the EU and added:

Our goal is being able to use our ports for direct imports and exports. They are used today but the transport is made with some difficulties because the Greek Cypriot side has declared these ports closed. Our suggestion regarding the direct trade was to remove our ports from being prohibited. We continue to insist on this issue.

[02] RPP and its leader call on the Turkish government not to abide by its EU commitments

Republican People's Party (RPP) leader Deniz Baykal warned the government not to sign the additional protocol extending the customs union agreement to 10 new EU members. ''We warn the government that it should not make a big concession on Cyprus and not sign the protocol,'' Baykal stressed, adding that his party would submit a motion on this issue to the parliament before it goes to summer recess.

On the same issue Ankara Anatolia (20.06.05) reported the following:

The main opposition Republican People's Party (RPP) on Monday called on the parliament to hold an urgent session to discuss the additional protocol to the Ankara Agreement (which envisages adaptation of the agreement to 10 new EU member states).

In a motion signed by RPP parliamentarians Haluk Koc, Kemal Anadol and Ali Topuz and submitted to the Parliament Speaker's Office, the main opposition party claims that the signature of this protocol is against Turkey's national interests.

''Leading EU statesmen, particularly French and German statesmen, have frankly stated that Turkey's membership should be re-considered, and inscribed the concept of 'privileged partnership' instead of 'full membership' onto Europe's agenda. Turkey was not openly included in the enlargement part of the final statement of EU summit held on June 16th-17th, maybe for the first time in years,'' said RPP parliamentarians.

They continued: ''It seems unlikely that the EU, which adopted on December 17th that negotiations (with Turkey) should be open-ended, will change its stance in the near future. In this case, Turkey should maintain its reforms in human rights and democracy but should not take steps of no return in important national causes like Cyprus, and not make unilateral concessions.''

Recalling that it was obvious that the Greek Cypriot administration, which Turkey did not recognize, would demand equal treatment from the Ankara government after this protocol was signed, RPP's motion said: ''We have seen that the Greek Cypriots will demand that their vessels should be allowed to call Turkish ports, and their planes to land at Turkey's airports; although Turkey did not make such a commitment on December 17th. Also, the document which was submitted during the Turkey-EU Association Council meeting held on April 25th, 2005 openly expressed this expectation of the EU.''

''For all these reasons, as RPP, we think that the government should not sign this protocol for the sake of our country's interests,'' added the motion.

Moreover, Ankara TRT 1 television (18/06/05) broadcast that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who attended the joint meeting of the Istanbul Industry Forum Professional Committees, responded to Republican People's Partys (RPP) leader Deniz Baykal who called on the government not to sign the additional protocol of the Ankara agreement. Mr Erdogan said: What is the point of saying a prayer that will not be accepted? If you do that, your reputation in the world will sink to zero. You must first know how to tread solidly on the ground. Unfortunately, if we try to continue to act in accordance with outdated brains and mentalities, and if the honorable leader of the opposition acts in line with the recommendations emanating from such brains, we would be making a fatal mistake.

Mr Erdogan also stated that no one should expect Turkey to sanction anything as long as the embargo imposed on the TRNC (occupied areas of Cyprus) is not lifted.

On the same issue, RADIKAL newspaper (19.06.05) reports that the Turkish Foreign Minister provided this response to the warning of RPP leader Deniz Baykal that "The government should not sign the Cyprus protocol until the negotiations begin": We are going to sign the protocol, as we had promised, when the formalities are completed, prior to 3 October. The RPP, in saying this, has but one purpose: for the negotiations not to start, and for the government to lose in prestige. Look, trade has already started, as of 1 May, between South Cyprus and Turkey. The protocol is thus a legal formality in this situation.

Besides, why should we be afraid of this trade? Let the Greek Cypriot side be afraid of the Turkish economy. If the RPP is afraid of the Greek Cypriot economy, that is another thing. On the contrary, the RPP, from the very outset, should have been pressing us regarding the EU by saying 'This is not fast enough', and should have been out in front of us in terms of the struggle for EU membership, this is unacceptable.

[03] A public survey showed that two out of three JDP supporters are against the USA

Dr Saban Kizildag conducted a poll in Istanbul among 1,930 persons who voted for the JDP, of whom 19 percent were party members, concerning the party's political identity. Kizildag's 400-page report on his findings is going to be published in July as a book titled, Where Did This JDP and its Political Identity Come From? Some of the findings that emerged from this poll include:

1. 28 percent said that they themselves or at least one immediate family member was studying at an Imam Hatip (religious) school or had graduated from one.

2. 38 percent said that they themselves or at least one immediate family member dressed according to Islamic dress codes.

3. 28 percent segregate their house guests by gender into separate rooms known as harem and selamlik [harem and welcoming room, the former for women and children only].

4. 10 percent of JDP voters/members said that even though there were no Imam Hatip students in the family they still adopted gender segregation with the women of the family dressing according to Islamic dress codes.

5. The JDP members left unanswered the question, "Do you drink alcohol?" Kizildag's personal observations put alcohol consumption among JDP members at over 50 percent.

6. 42 percent of the JDP members/voters said they had voted for the Welfare Party and Virtue Party in the 1995 and 1999 elections respectively without being swayed by other parties. These two parties [now defunct] represented the religious vote.

7. 14.5 percent have an adverse view of what their party has done.

8. 34.2 percent of JDP voters/members look favourably on the National View Movement started by Necmettin Erbakan. 39.8 percent said they held favourable views of the Felicity Party.

9. 25 percent of JDP voters/members said decisively that they would vote for the Felicity Party if the JDP did not exist.

10. 19 percent of JDP voters/members said they steadfastly favoured the religious parties in all three election periods.

11. 66 percent of participants in the poll defined right wing as being pious, attaching importance to spiritual things, being nationalist and having affection for the State, the nation and its history. 65 percent defined left wing as being anti-religious, conducting politics that disrespected religion, evil, thinking evil, inconsistent, harmful, incompatible and inadequate things, and acting on them, being communist, being anti-establishment, being separatist, terrorist and anarchist, and being a traitor.

12. For 6 percent of voters the leader alone (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) is reason enough to vote for the party.

13. 49 percent had positive views of the army, 25 percent were non-committal, while 26 percent had negative views of the army.

14. 41 percent had favourable views of the Presidency, and 39 percent had favourable views of the judiciary.

15. 46 percent had favourable views of the EU. 42 percent had favourable views of Islamic countries, and 26 percent had favourable views of eastern countries. 35 and 34 percent respectively had adverse views of the EU and Islamic countries.

16. 73 percent of JDP voters/members think bad of the United States. 83 percent have bad views of Israel, considered to be the United States partner.

17. While 9 percent had good views regarding Greece 68 percent thought badly of that country. While 6 percent had good views regarding Armenia 82 percent thought badly of that country.

18. Of the participants 30 percent were from the Black Sea region, 28 percent were from East or Southeast Anatolia, 13 percent were from Marmara and Thrace, 5 percent were from the Mediterranean region, 3 percent from the Aegean and 1 percent had been born abroad.

19. 13 percent of JDP voters/members said that at least one immediate family member was an Imam Hatip student, that gender segregation was practiced at home, and that the women of the family dressed according to Islamic dress codes.

Dr Saban Kizildag taught Public Administration for many years at Sakarya University. After leaving the education profession he became Deputy Mayor for Cultural Affairs at the JDP-run Eminonu Municipality. Dr Kizildag is preparing for his associate professor's exam.

Kizildag maintains that the JDP cannot be considered a religious party, and he notes: The JDP is entirely a community party, a magnet party. It is made up of conservatives, liberals and nationalists. The core of the party hails from the Welfare Party. The JDP's greatest bonding power comes from the fact that Erdogan is a sociologic legend. Of the party's founders 31 percent are liberal democrats. I think it needs at least 10 years for the party to really find its feet.

[04] The police force in the occupied area of Cyprus is being increased

The paper reports that the so-called government had to take this measure, because of the rising of crime in the occupied part of Cyprus.

[05] A delegation of the of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (COE), which is visiting occupied Cyprus noted that the visit should not be interpreted as recognition of the pseudostate

As the paper writes Mr Ian Micallef, the Maltese responsible for writing the report (rapporteur), stated that the visit of the delegation cannot be interpreted as recognition of the pseudostate. Mr Micallef clarified that the delegation makes contacts in north Cyprus with authorities under their titles as leaders of political parties and noted: The visit we are paying here cannot and must not be interpreted as a form of recognition by the congress or by the Council of Europe. Recalling that local Turkish Cypriot officials were joining the meetings of the congress, but did not have the right to vote, Micallef said that they would re-evaluate the status of representation in the light of the report they would submit to the congress at the end of their talks.

In addition as Ankara Anatolia news agency (17.06.05) reported from Lefkosia Mr Micallef, who is Maltese and is visiting occupied Cyprus along with Mr Alan Lloyd and some assistants, held various contacts in the pseudostate. The delegation met on Friday with the so-called Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas; Dervis Eroglu, the leader of the main opposition National Unity Party (NUP); so-called mayors and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

During their meeting, Mr Serdar Denktas said that they could not wait for a solution in Cyprus for a long time. Mr Denktas stated that a solution would be difficult in case the policies carried out by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos continued and Turkish Cypriots were considered as "minority". A solution would be easier if the international community accepted that there was an administration in the north of the island, and urge the Greek Cypriots to accept this reality, Denktas said.

[06] The pseudostate has imported goods worth 2 billion, 342 million dollars between the years 2002-2004

The paper writes that between the years 2002-2004 the pseudostate imported goods worth 2 billion 342 million dollars, while it has exported goods worth 242 million 703 million dollars. At the same time the trade deficit in the pseudostate was up to 1 billion 799 million dollars. The paper notes that the trade deficit in the pseudostate has increased by 969% since the figures given for the year 2000 when the trade deficit in the pseudostate was 74 million 478.49 thousand dollars.

The lions share as regards the importation in the pseudostate belongs to Turkey. The pseudostate imported goods worth 1 billion 460 millions from Turkey between the years 2002-2004 and imported goods worth 882 millions 64 thousand dollars from other countries. Moreover, it has exported goods worth 101 million 313 thousand dollars to Turkey and exported goods worth 141 million 390 thousand dollars to other countries.

In addition KIBRIS (18.06.05) writes that according to information given by the so-called ministry of public works and transportation, 353 planes had landed and 351 planes had departed from the illegal Tympou airport during May 2005. Moreover, 53 thousand 636 travellers arrived while 52 thousand 54 travellers left the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Back door constitution to repeat the casus belli against Greece and Turkey�s interests and rights in EU-member Cyprus

The NSC is scheduled to meet tomorrow to work out the National Security Document, also known as Turkey's 'back door' constitution. The council will also discuss the recent rise in terrorist activities, the PKK, Turkey's obligations under the ECHR ruling on Ocalan, and incidents at universities. The National Security Council (NSC) will meet tomorrow to work out Turkey's National Security Document, also known as Turkey's "back door" constitution.

The meeting, to be chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, will be held at the Cankaya Palace with the participation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, and other council members.

The main topic will be the National Security Document, which was recently finalized by the NSC secretariat, military officials reported. Unlike previous ones, the draft of the new document is relatively short, at only 25 pages long, and focuses on only outlining major threats against Turkey. The draft mentions "asymmetric threats" for the first time. After discussion by the NSC, the draft will go into force by a Cabinet decision.

The draft defines threats to domestic security as coming from Islamist fundamentalism, separatist activities, and extreme leftist movements. Added to which unemployment, greatly unequal income distribution, and regional differences in economic development are also considered to be growing domestic threats. The draft proposes that the government implements social policies for young people, solve problems in big cities, and increases investment in rural areas.

Importance of Cyprus

The draft mentions a possible threat should Greece decide to extend its territorial waters to 12 miles, and stresses the need for preparations of a deterrent military force to protect Turkey's national interests.

According to the draft, Turkey's security strategy has four areas:

1. The preparation of a deterrent military force to protect the power balance in the region as well as Turkey's national interests against asymmetrical threats.

2. Precautions need to be taken to head off threats to Turkey's national unity and regime.

3. Turkey's interests and rights in Cyprus need to be safeguarded, as it's the basis of Turkey's security in the eastern Mediterranean.

4. Measures need to be taken to prevent international terrorism and asymmetric threats from damaging Turkey's domestic and international interests.

Although the draft doesn't divide neighboring countries according to Turkey's threat perception, policies on Greece, Syria, Iraq, and Iran are described in detail.

The PKK and Islamic fundamentalism

The Foreign and Interior Ministries, the National Intelligence Agency (MIT), the Directorate of Police, and military intelligence departments will brief the council on activities carried out by terrorists and Islamic fundamentalists over the last two months. The council will also discuss the increase in terrorist activities in southeastern Turkey and the threat of bombings in big cities, and will seek possible solutions to stop Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) activities. Turkey's obligations under the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling on PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, and recent incidents at universities will also be addressed.

`Don�t support Islamic fundamentalism�

Erdogan is expected to give a briefing on his recent visit to the U.S. at the meeting. The military members of the council are also expected to address the subject of the amendment package to change some articles of the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK), and to warn the government not to support Islamic fundamentalist activities. The package, which would reduce penalties for people running illegal religious courses from jail terms to fines, was recently passed by Parliament but vetoed by Sezer.

/SK

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