TURKISH PRESS
AND OTHER MEDIA
No.76/05
22.04.05
A.NEWS ITEMS
1.Statements on Cyprus by the General Secretary of the National Security
Council in line with the Chief of Staff.
2. Briefing on Incirlik demanded by the opposition.
3. HURRIYET reports that Britain is included in the Incirlik agreement. The
Incirlik trump card to be used by Turkey every year.
4. Rustem Tatar says that the Turkish side informed the Missing Persons’
Committee about 22 graves where Greek Cypriots are buried in the occupied
part of Cyprus.
5. The occupation army will celebrate Talat’s accession to the puppet regime’s
highest post with 101 cannon-shots.
6. New tourist constructions at the occupied village of Vokolida for gambling.
A.NEWS ITEMS
1.Statements on Cyprus by the General Secretary of the National Security
Council in line with the Chief of Staff
Istanbul NTV television (21.04.05) broadcast the following:
“National Security Council (NSC) General Secretary Mr Yigit Alpogan, said that the
countries whose parliaments endorse the Armenian genocide allegations will be
remembered with shame by next generations. On the subject of the solution of the
Cyprus problem, Alpogan stated that there is nothing left for Turkey to do.
Alpogan said that although all the archives have been opened, not one document
was found to accuse the Ottomans of genocide. Alpogan also harshly criticized the
countries that endorse the Armenian genocide allegations in their parliaments.
He said: “Let them look to the future. In 30 years, maybe even earlier, they will begin
to be ashamed of this. The parliaments that approve this will be remembered with
shame by next generations, including naturally the latest case of the Polish
Parliament.”
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In reply to a question on the Cyprus problem, the NSC general secretary said:
“There is nothing left for Turkey to do for the solution of the Cyprus problem. In
contrast, Alpogan charged, whenever Greek Cypriot sector leader Papadopoulos
opens his mouth, he says he does not want a solution”.
Alpogan also said that various alternatives are being considered against the
possibility of conducting a retrial for Abdullah Ocalan.
He said: “There is one matter we should pay attention to in this regard. There is no
such decision yet. Therefore, the work done in this regard is merely preparatory in
nature. There are various stands that can be adopted, in the event that such a
decision is made. For now, we are working on various alternatives. I am confident
that when a decision is reached, a stand will be adopted and whatever is necessary
will be done”.
2. Briefing on Incirlik demanded by the opposition
Ankara Anatolia news agency (21.04.05) reported from Ankara that Republican
People's Party (RPP) deputy leader Onur Oymen called Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul to give information to the parliament about Incirlik base on Thursday.
Speaking in a joint news conference with the RPP acting group leader Haluk Koc,
Oymen referred to the news published in the press saying that a memorandum of
understanding was signed with the US and a decree was opened to signature at the
cabinet about Incirlik base.
''The parliament learns the things that are going on about such an important matter
from the press, can this be possible? The government has not answered our
question motions or has not given us information about Incirlik base till today... We
want to know what the government has done so far and what it will do? '' Oymen
said, asking Foreign Minister Gul to inform the parliament immediately about Incirlik
base.
Oymen also criticized the government's attitude regarding the adoption of the recent
Polish parliament's decision which recognized the so-called Armenian genocide.
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''The parliament should have been informed about the developments so that we
could do something. The government continues to ignore the parliament in foreign
policy,'' Oymen commented.
Haluk Koc said on his part that RPP expressed almost all of the views which Chief of
General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok explained during his speech at the War Academies
Command yesterday, adding that none of those RPP views were covered by the
media.
3. HURRIYET reports that Britain is included in the Incirlik agreement. The
Incirlik trump card to be used by Turkey every year
Istanbul HURRIYET newspaper (21.04.05) publishes the following report from
Ankara by Ugur Ergan under the title: "Incirlik being opened for logistic use":
“The agreement to open Incirlik Air Base for logistical use by the United States was
presented for signature in the Council of Ministers yesterday. The agreement will be
put into effect without being published in the Official Gazette.
The US side will
announce with a statement that it has entered into effect.
The decree to permit more comprehensive use of Incirlik Air Base by the United
States has been opened up to signatures in the Council of Ministers. The decree,
which was adopted on 23 June 2003 and also extended for one year a year ago, will
make it possible for the United States to utilize Incirlik as a "logistical operations
center - logistics hub" for Iraq and Afghanistan. But the United States will absolutely
not be able to transport "lethal arms and equipment" via Incirlik.
Within this
framework, the United States will utilize Incirlik as a "main military-purpose foreign
transport hub" for the two countries in question. The United States will, on the day a
flight is to be conducted, provide all information regarding the aircraft to Turkey.
Great Britain will also utilize Incirlik.
It is stated that the decree will not be secret.
The government, which met with
reactions of "The TGNA [Turkish Grand National Assembly] has been by-passed"
when the 2003 decree was issued in secret, had lifted the secrecy involving the
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decree. It is not expected, however, that the decree will be published in the Official
Gazzete.
It is stated that there is a chance that the decree will be issued prior to the 90th
anniversary of the so-called Armenian genocide, which is becoming intense in the
United States, in particular. While diplomatic sources state that this should not be
perceived as a gesture to the United States prior to 24 April, it has been suggested in
the corridors that the government is calculating using the decree, which will be valid
for a year, as a trump card against the US prior to 24 April every year.
The US Embassy in Ankara wanted to publish on its internet site the meaning of the
expression "logistical operations hub", which will be contained in the decree, but the
Foreign Ministry did not permit this. Accordingly, the United States was unable to
publish an explanatory text on the internet.
The United States, on the day that a flight is to take place, will provide all information
regarding the aircraft to Turkey. Turkish officials will monitor at Incirlik whether or not
the aircraft and cargo are in fact consistent with the notification. The United States
will also have a six-month or one-year "blanket flight permission", without the need to
obtain authorization for every flight.
Subtitle: Contents of Decree
No physical changes will be made on the base.
There will be no repairs or additional investment work done to increase the capacity
of the base.
No additional personnel will be brought to the base.
The base will be utilized solely for Iraq and Afghanistan, within the UN and NATO
framework.
Cargo brought on large civilian aircraft will be transferred at Incirlik to smaller aircraft.
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It will absolutely not be utilized for operations against Syria or other third countries.
In conjunction with the issuance of this decree, the United States will make a
statement and announce to the entire world that it will absolutely not use the base for
lethal military equipment.
The United States will also announce that it had applied to Turkey for more extensive
use of the base, but that this was rejected by the Turkish side.
In addition to the United States, Great Britain will also be able to utilize the base.
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has confirmed that work involving the Incirlik decree
has begun. Gul, in a statement he made before departing for Lithuania yesterday,
said "I expect that the process will be completed shortly." Gul spoke as follows: "It
involves handling in a more regular and organized manner the assistance that is
currently being provided to Iraq and Afghanistan. Consequently, it will come out in
the form of an extension of the decrees that were taken earlier. There is no question
of any new dimensions. The take-offs and landings of every aircraft, where they are
going, what they are taking and what they are bringing, will all be established in
detail."
4. Rustem Tatar says that the Turkish side informed the Missing Persons’
Committee about 22 graves where Greek Cypriots are buried in the occupied
part of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily HALKIN SESI newspaper (22.04.05) reports that Rustem Tatar,
Turkish Cypriot member of the Missing Persons’ Committee, has said that the
Turkish side submitted to the Committee detailed information regarding 22 graves
where it is believed that remains of Greek Cypriots missing since 1974 are buried.
In statements to illegal TAK news agency, Mr Tatar noted that the 86 th working period
of the Committee has been completed and that the 87th period will begin on 5 May.
He said that no common statement was issued because the sides did not agree
about it.
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Alleging that the Turkish side did everything possible towards the solution of the
issue of the missing persons, Mr Tatar said that they would continue their efforts. “As
Turkish side we shall continue our efforts together with my colleagues Hakki Onen
and Ahmet Erdengiz for reaching a final solution to the issue within the framework of
the procedure and the criteria promised by the UN Secretary – General”, he argued.
5. The occupation army will celebrate Talat´s accession to the puppet regime´s
highest post with 101 cannon-shots
Turkish Cypriot daily YENIDUZEN newspaper (22.04.05) reports under banner
headlines “Hand-over at the Palace with Celebration” and says that, the newly
elected so-called President of the occupation regime, Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, first will
go to the so-called Assembly for the swearing in ceremony on 24 April, Sunday and
then to the “Presidential Palace” for the hand-over ceremony. Mr Rauf Denktas will
hand-over the “presidency” to Talat.
During the swearing in “ceremony” there will be 101 cannon shots which will signal
the start of celebrations as well.
YENIDUZEN further reports that once the hand-over takes place and Denktas leaves
the palace, Talat and his wife will receive “officials” who will congratulate him.
After this, popular celebrations will start where groups will perform. There will be
fireworks as well.
6. New tourist constructions at the occupied village of Vokolida for gambling
Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (22/04/05) reports that the so-called Director
of the Tourism and Planning Department, Mr Huseyin Gokboru, said that the plans
for constructing a hotel and a tourist village at the occupied village of Vokolida by the
companies Goctur Kibris Yatirim (investment) Ltd and Kaya Tourist facilities
Titreyengol AS will be completed until the end of 2006.
The Chairman of the Hotel Owners Union, Mr Turhan Beydagli, said that only two of
the ten investors who took land at the occupied area of Vokolida began to construct
tourist facilities. He also noted that these tourist constructions at the occupied village
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of Vokolida do not comply with their aims on tourism, because these constructions
will serve primarily gamblers.
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