TURKISH PRESS
AND OTHER MEDIA
No.218/04
13-14-15.11.04
A.NEWS ITEMS
1. High ranking Turkish officials and former Pakistani President to attend the UDI in occupied Cyprus
2. Ruthless attack against the Presient of an EU member country by the Turkish Cypriot leader
3. Denktas not pleased with Prime Minister Karamanlis´ support for Cyprus
4. Erdogan comments on EU membership issues
5. The occupation regime will accept only Turkish lira in the entrance of tourist sightseeing and museums
6. Court decision for demolishing the villa built by a British citizen in the occupied property of a Greek Cypriot at
Lapithos village
7. Turkey’s Minister of Tourism says that the “First Choice” tour operators want to invest in the occupied areas of
Cyprus
8. Talat supports that the pseudostate was declared for the prosperity and the happiness of the Turkish Cypriots; He
argues that any effort to solve the Cyprus problem before 17 December will be tantamount to “terrorism”
9. The Platform This Country is Ours, declared its demands and positions as regards the Cyprus problem
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1. High ranking Turkish officials and former Pakistani President to attend the UDI in occupied Cyprus
Local KIBRIS newspaper (15/11/04) reports that a high ranking Turkish delegation consisting of the Turkish
Presidency General Secretary Kemal Nehrozoglu, Deputy Parliament Speaker Sadik Yakut and State Minister and
Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener arrived in the occupied areas of Cyprus to attend the celebrations marking the
21st anniversary of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in the Greek Cypriot areas occupied by Turkish
troops since July 1974.
They arrived on Sunday and celebrations are scheduled for Monday with a huge military parade by the occupation
troops.
In the occupied areas to celebrate UDI is also former Pakistani President (Faroug Ahmad Khan) Leghari, who held a
meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktas.
Afrika (15/11/04) reports that among the foreigners who are attending the UDI celebrations are parliamentarians,
academicians and journalists from Russia, Hungary, Spain, Israel, Egypt, Iran, Italy, Poland, Azerbaijan, United Arab
Emirates, Ireland and China.
Mr Talat met with them and briefed them in the so-called Foreign Ministry.
2. Ruthless attack against the Presient of an EU member country by the Turkish Cypriot leader
Istanbul NTV television (13/11/04) broadcast that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktas, said that the fact that
the President of Cyprus, Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, called on Turkey to recognize the Republic of Cyprus
demonstrates that he is not in favor of conciliation.
Pointing out that Mr Papadopoulos said Turkey should recognize the Republic of Cyprus, a member of the European
Union, if it is to join the Union, Denktas said that the statement of the Greek Cypriot leader is ugly and arrogant.
Denktas remarked that it is up to Turkey to decide whether to respond to Papadopoulos. Denktas stated that the EU
should diagnose the Cyprus problem again, and decide that it does not have the authority to make one of the
“peoples” the government of the other.
Otherwise, Denktas explained, a solution cannot be reached.
He added:
“The EU should give the necessary response to the spoilt EOKA [National Organization of Cypriot Fighters] member.”
3. Denktas not pleased with Prime Minister Karamanlis´ support for Cyprus
Ankara Anatolia news agency (14/11/04) reported from occupied Lefkosia that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf
Denktas, made the following statement:
''Greek Premier Costas Karamanlis, during his visit to Greek Cypriot side, did exactly the opposite of what I expected
and told Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos that he gives full support to the Greek Cypriots.''
Speaking during a meeting, Denktas also told reporters on Saturday: ''I hope the Cyprus problem will not be
presented as an obstacle before Turkey. However, Papadopoulos is trying to do this. Karamanlis paid a visit. I had a
hope that Karamanlis gave some advice to Papadopoulos. But he did just the opposite. He left the southern side by
saying 'we will always support you'.''
Mr Denktas added: ''The referenda confirmed the existence of two separate ´peoples´ in the island which do not
represent each other, sides which insisted on holding referenda were deceived that Greek Cypriots would vote yes in
the referendum.''
And Mr Denktas concluded: ''There are some statements like 'since you voted yes to Annan's plan, then you do not
want a separate state and recognition from now on.' These statements are presented as preliminary condition for any
assistance to the Turkish Cypriots. This is injustice and hostility. This is a sign of determination to give Cyprus to
Greek Cypriots.''
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4. Erdogan comments on EU membership issues
Ankara Anatolia news agency (14/11/04) reported from Istanbul that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip
Erdogan on Sunday attended a breakfast with citizens at Marmara University in Istanbul.
He said: ''Direct foreign capital flow to Turkey will increase after December 17th. During our meetings with countries,
they say, 'we invest in Turkey. We believe in confidence milieu and stability in Turkey. But it should be supported in
legal dimension.' So the EU is important at this point. However, we do not consider the EU only as an economic
participation or an economic contribution to Turkey. It was a thing of the past.
Now, there is the problem of definition of EU. Turkey completed the legal process about it. But de facto process has
not been solved yet. Following our serious struggles, Christianity expression was not included in the EU Constitution.
Despite all these issues, their sensitivity continues. We cannot underestimate this”.
Erdogan noted: ''The EU has to accept Turkey's accession to have consensus of civilizations happen. If they do not
accept Turkey, this will be a deficiency for the EU. We have fulfilled the Copenhagen political criteria. We fulfilled our
tasks. Now, they will have a test after December 17th. They will give Turkey the place it deserves in this road map
regarding the negotiation process. If they do not, we clearly say that we will change the name of the Copenhagen
political criteria as Ankara political criteria and we continue our path.''
Erdogan reminded the statements of European Parliament president who said 'Turkey has fulfilled the changes in a
very short time and surprised us,' and added: ''Following these statements, everything which is done now seems
emotional to me. International diplomacy does not accept emotionality. The Seminary and Armenian issues cannot
be discussed before December 17th. We shall firstly solve December 17th and then we will discuss the seminary and
Armenian problems besides other issues.
We are loyal to conventions and true to our promises, and we have pursued our diplomacy under these promises,''
he added.
Presenting the Cyprus issue as an example, Erdogan said: ''While the Greek Cypriot side rejected peace, the
´Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus´ wanted peace in the island.
However, isolations are still imposed on Turkish Cypriots. The Greek Cypriot side joined EU. It is a test of sincerity.''
5. The occupation regime will accept only Turkish lira in the entrance of tourist sightseeing and museums
Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (15.11.04) reports that upon a decision taken by the so-called ministry of
economy and tourism of the occupation regime, the visitors of sightseeing and museums in occupied Cyprus will
have to pay in Turkish lira for the tickets at the entrance. From now on, it will not be accepted to pay for the tickets in
the entrance, using a foreign currency. As regards the tourists who do not carry Turkish lira with them during their
visit to the sightseeing, they will not be allowed to enter the places.
6. Court decision for demolishing the villa built by a British citizen in the occupied property of a Greek
Cypriot at Lapithos village
Under the front-page banner title “Demolish the villa”, Turkish Cypriot daily AFRIKA newspaper (14.11.04) refers to a
decision by a court of the Republic of Cyprus which will “upset” the increase in the building sector in the occupied
areas of Cyprus.
According to the paper, the court decided last Wednesday that a British couple named David Orams and Linda
Grams should demolish the villa they have built in the occupied property of the Greek Cypriot Meletios Apostolides at
Lapithos village. Next week Britain will be informed about the decision of the court and in case the British citizens do
not apply the decision there is the possibility of their getting arrested, writes AFRIKA.
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7. Turkey’s Minister of Tourism says that the “First Choice” tour operators want to invest in the occupied
areas of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (13.11.04) reports that Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Erkan
Mumcu has said that the “First Choice”, one of the biggest tour operators in the world, want to invest in the occupied
part of Cyprus.
In statements during a meeting he had in London with the so-called Minister of Economy and Tourism, Dervis Kemal
Deniz, Mr Mumcu noted: “The First Choice, one of the biggest tour operators in the world, which wanted to make
investment in Turkey, wants to make investments in Cyprus as well”.
Mr Mumcu advised Mr Deniz to meet with officials of the “First Choice” as soon as possible and added: “The big tour
operators want to make the ´TRNC´ tours through us, but it would be more profitable and easy for you if you directly
contacted these big firms”.
Mr Mumcu said that he would visit the occupied areas of Cyprus in December.
8. Talat supports that the pseudostate was declared for the prosperity and the happiness of the Turkish
Cypriots; He argues that any effort to solve the Cyprus problem before 17 December will be tantamount to
“terrorism”
Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (15.11.04) reports that in his message on the occasion of the 21st
anniversary of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) Mehmet Ali Talat, so-called Prime Minister of the
occupation regime has claimed that the pseudostate has been declared so that the Turkish Cypriots are given the
opportunity to live in prosperity and happiness in their own state.
Mr Talat argued, inter alia, the following: “ …We know that the ´TRNC´ was declared aiming at the Turkish Cypriots
having the opportunity to live in prosperity and happiness in their own state and we continue to believe that the
Turkish Cypriot and the Greek Cypriot states will be equally sovereign and that a solution based on our political
equality and the guarantees of Turkey will open the doors of Europe to the Turkish Cypriots”.
Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with KIBRIS Mr Talat reiterates his position that the international community
does not want any activity in the Cyprus problem until the 17th of December. Mr Talat claimed that behaving contrary
to that situation would be tantamount to a “terrorist act”. “We cannot apply a policy contrary to the world”, he added.
Asked to answer to criticism made against his “government” by some Turkish Cypriot political parties that it applies
delaying tactics on the issue of the solution of the Cyprus problem, Talat said: “Until the 17 of December the agenda
of all the world is Cyprus’ not vetoing Turkey getting a date from the EU and therefore (the world) has concentrated
on the issue of not having any activity in Cyprus. This is the situation. We are asked to go against this situation, that
is, this means to conduct a ‘terrorist act’. This is nothing else than that. It is figuratively speaking conducting a
‘terrorist act’. ...Let Papadopoulos prepare his proposals for an overall solution, let him submit them to us, let us
study them and we shall discuss…”.
9. The Platform This Country is Ours, declared its demands and positions as regards the Cyprus problem
Turkish Cypriot daily YENI DUZEN newspaper (13.11.04) reports that the Platform This Country is Ours declared in a
press conference on Friday its demands and positions as regards the Cyprus problem.
“We proclaim that we are not going to be ‘neither a patch nor a pawn’ as Turkish Cypriots in order to reach our basic
target which is to create a united Cyprus which is going to be ruled by us”, stated the Platform which summarised its
demands as regards the Cyprus problem, inter alia, as follows:
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1)
In order to reach a comprehensive solution based on the Annan Plan talks must start again under the
auspices of the United Nations.
2)
The talks must be continuing under the auspices of the UN.
3)
The economic and political isolation of the Turkish Cypriots must be lifted.
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EG/