TURKISH PRESS
AND OTHER MEDIA
No.185/04
25-26-27.09.04
A. NEWS ITEMS
1. Reactions on the decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Cyprus regarding the Turkish Cypriot Arif
Mustafa from Episkopi village
2. Serdar Denktas left for New York
3. Pentagon delegation holds talks with Turkish General Staff
4. Two Turkish Cypriot parties will not vote in favour of the pseudo state’s budget
5. The works for construction of the Venus Beach Club in occupied Famagusta were resumed-The project’s value
is six million pound sterling
6. Greek Cypriots were arrested by the occupation regime
7. The Turkish Penal Code passes without adultery amendment
B. COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS
1. Columnist in Afrika has information about41 Greek Cypriots executed by the Turkish army in cold blood.
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1. Reactions on the decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Cyprus regarding the Turkish Cypriot Arif
Mustafa from Episkopi village
Under the banner front page title “Everybody who wants can take his property”, Turkish Cypriot daily AFRIKA newspaper
(25.09.04) reports that the Supreme Court of the Republic of Cyprus has taken a “historical decision” regarding the
Turkish Cypriot properties in the Government controlled areas of the Republic. The paper writes that the Court justified the
demand of the Turkish Cypriot Arif Mustafa, who had appealed demanding his property at Episkopi village in Limassol
area where he used to live before the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
The paper writes that after the 1974 Turkish invasion Mr Mustafa lived in the occupied part of Cyprus until 2002, when he
decided to return to the free areas with his family and rented a house in Limassol.
Meanwhile, AFRIKA (27.09.04) reports that commenting on the issue, Mr Serdar Denktas, so-called deputy prime minister
and minister of foreign affairs of the occupation regime, said upon his departure for New York:
“This is an important decision. This citizen of ours has been trying for eight months to return to his property and it was not
given to him. In the end, two days ago he won the case. This of course is an important indicator for the other Turkish
Cypriots. There are cases against us for many years. This is a decision that opens the way for the Turkish Cypriots to file
new charges. I think that other appeals will be taking place. We know that some are already waiting for their turn.
Therefore, I guess that they will be increased”.
Furthermore, commenting on the issue in the same paper, Ali Osman expresses the opinion that responsible for the
situation of the Cypriots after 1974 is Turkey, which has to give an account and pay for all these.
Under the title “Turkey must pay the bill”, Mr Osman writes, inter alia, the following: “The decision of the Supreme Court of
the Republic of Cyprus is an indication that great changes will soon happen in all Cyprus. I think that the decision that Arif
Mustafa gained, who lived for years in Zodia village and then went to the south, and the return of his property, is more
important than the Annan Plan. Perhaps it is a turning point. …
Those who have title deeds of property that currently belong to the Republic of Cyprus will be able to take their houses
and their property. …of course, the anomalies created after 1974 will put the Government of the Republic of Cyprus into a
very difficult situation regarding this issue. They will have to face the situation of the Greek Cypriots who were forced to
move from the north and were settled in the Turkish Cypriot homes in the south. …Solutions should be searched within
the framework of the EU Law. The persons who are in the houses will have to be settled in some houses again within the
framework of a settlement policy.
The issue of taking the Greek Cypriot properties in the north from the hands of those who have them will once more come
onto the agenda. As the EU Law is such, the European Union has to search for this right of its member. The point we
have reached at the end is the ‘occupation’ point.
Think now, which will be the authority that will say ‘no’ to a Greek Cypriot who has a house in the north, if he wants to
come and settle in his house? Will it be the courts? The TRNC is not recognized, so its courts are also not recognized!
The account will be in the name of Turkey. Even if it continues its occupation in the north, it has the responsibility to
protect and indemnify the rights of the Turkish Cypriots who will come and settle in the north. This will continue until the
north is saved from the Turkish occupation.
The decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Cyprus these days when Turkey will be taking a date for its
accession to the EU is a historical decision. The Republic of Turkey is responsible for the situation of the Cypriots after
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1974. Turkey, which divided the island and created this confusion under the directions of America and Britain, has to give
account for all these as well!”
Meanwhile, commenting on the same issue Sener Levent writes in AFRIKA (26.09.04) that if a Greek Cypriot goes and
asks from the occupation regime his occupied house and property, he will definitely not be allowed to get them back and
go and live there. Noting though that he was not an admirer of the justice in the Government controlled areas of Cyprus,
Mr Levent accuses the police and the courts of the Republic of not taking the necessary measures on some issues. Under
the title “Politics and Justice”, Mr Sener writes, iner alia, the following:
“…The fact that a Turkish Cypriot won a case at the Greek Cypriot Supreme Court is something that many of us here can
not understand. Is such a thing possible to happen here? Think about it. A Greek Cypriot refugee will come and say that
he wanted to live in our side from now on. Permission will be given for this and afterwards the man will go to the court and
file charges saying: ‘I want back my property in the north’. Will he win this case at our court? Will our honorable court tell
him that he is right and that he could take his house in Lapithos? Is this possible? Is it possible to put justice above the
politics here? …
This court decision opens the way for all Turkish Cypriots to take back their property in the south. You will see that the
condition regarding living in the south (in order for a Turkish Cypriot to be able to take back his property) will soon be
lifted. It will be lifted with another court decision. A Turkish Cypriot who will file charges on this issue will win the case.
Why? Because Cyprus, which is a member of the EU, does not have the luxury of violating the EU law.
We have the luxury of violating the law, not the Greek Cypriots. Let those who govern us pray and be thankful because
we are still an illegal state and the acquis communautaire of the EU is not applied here. Let them enjoy the illegality. Let
us see until when this will be happening.”
2. Serdar Denktas left for New York
Illegal Bayrak television (25/09/04) broadcast that the so called Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Ankara´s
occupation regime Mr Serdar Denktas left for New York last night to attend the yearly coordination meeting of the OIC
foreign ministers on Monday, 27 September. Besides speaking on the latest Cyprus situation at the OIC meeting, in which
the occupation regime is taking part as an observer under the status of Turkish Cypriot State, Denktas will also hold
bilateral contacts. He will meet Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul to exchange views on
the Cyprus problem and hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the Arab countries.
Denktas will also
participate in the 59th UN General Assembly deliberations in New York.
After the New York contacts, he will go to Britain on 30 September and then to Istanbul on 3 October. In Istanbul he will
attend the EU-OIC forum to be held from 4 to 6 October. Denktas will return to the occupied areas on Wednesday, 6
October.
3. Pentagon delegation holds talks with Turkish General Staff
Under the above title Turkish Daily News (25.09.04) publishes the following article:
“A senior-level delegation from the Pentagon is in Ankara for talks with Turkish generals on military cooperation as the two
allies have been discussing Iraq's and Washington plans to get broader use of a base in southern Turkey.
The U.S. delegation, headed by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Ian Verezesisky, met with a General Staff
delegation headed by Muzaffer Cengiz Arslan yesterday. On Wednesday, they had a meeting with Deputy Chief of Staff
Gen. Ilker Basbug.
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U.S. officials in Ankara denied reports in the Turkish press that the delegation had brought an official request from
Washington for greater latitude in using the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey, although the overall issue "may of course
come up in the course of discussions."
Officials said instead the visit was a regular one between political-military working groups, a sub-body of a high-level
defense group between Turkey and the United States. This was the second meeting of the group this year.
Washington plans to shift a wing of F-16s from their base in Spangdahlem, Germany, to the Incirlik base, which would
move the aircraft closer to the volatile Middle East. A wing generally consists of 72 aircraft.
The shift is part of the Pentagon plan called Global Defense Posture Review that envisages bringing its Europe-based
forces closer to the Middle East. The shift would take place only if Ankara gives Washington greater latitude to use the
base but Turkish officials have been so far cool on the U.S. request to deploy additional aircraft in Incirlik, something
which goes beyond terms of a 1980 defense cooperation agreement between the two countries.
The U.S. officials said there has been no decision made yet in Washington on the global troop realignment plans and
therefore Verezesisky's delegation was not in a position to officially negotiate any new arrangement with Ankara.
With presidential elections approaching, Washington was not expected to make a final decision on the global realignment
plan soon. The administration will begin official talks with concerned allies, including Turkey, on the planned shifts after
the decision is made.
The Pentagon delegation discussed ways in which Turkey and the United States can better cooperate in Iraq and other
places "where we have common interests," such as the Caucasus and Afghanistan, said U.S. officials.
The U.S. delegation was expected to leave over the weekend and no meeting was scheduled at the Turkish Foreign
Ministry.”
4. Two Turkish Cypriot parties will not vote in favour of the pseudo state’s budget
Turkish Cypriot daily GUNES newspaper (27.09.04) reports that two Turkish Cypriot parties, the Communal Liberation
Party of Huseyin Angolemli and the New Party of Nuri Cevikel will not vote in favour of the pseudo state’s budget. This
may lead to the resignation of the “government”, the paper writes.
Replying to questions of GUNES newspaper, Mr Angolemli stated that his party will not give a positive vote as regards the
“budget”. “As a party we announced our views on this subject before and our behaviour towards this issue is obvious”, he
said.
On his part, Mr Cevikel also said that he will not vote for the “budget”. “As a party we stated from the beginning that we
will give a negative vote, we say this today and we will say this tomorrow”, he said.
Besides, the leader of the Peace and Democracy Movement (PDM) of Mr Mustafa Akinci, who according to the paper is
having contacts with the “coalition government” of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) and the Democratic Party (DP), for
a possible cooperation, avoided to answer GUNES’s questions regarding the position that the PDM will hold concerning
the “budget”.
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The issue of the 2004 “budget” of the pseudostate has started to be discussed in the so-called parliament of the
occupation regime. The issue is very important since the so-called prime minister of the pseudostate Mehmet Ali Talat
stated that if the budget is rejected, the “government” will resign.
5. The works for construction of the Venus Beach Club in occupied Famagusta were resumed-The project’s value
is six million pound sterling
Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (25.09.04) reports that the works for the construction of the Venus Beach Club in
occupied Famagusta were resumed. The project started in 1996 but the construction was left unfinished “due to various
difficulties”, as the paper writes. The building is located near the Park Hotel in occupied Famagusta.
The project, the cost of which is estimated to reach the amount of six million pound sterling, is undertaken by the
partnership of Devrim Celal, Hasan Hascelik and Turgut Caglan. It is aimed at becoming the second biggest building in
the Famagusta - Karpass shore. According to Mr Celal, the project was designed by Italian and Turkish architects. It
started in 1996 and the works continued until 1998 when they were stopped.
Mr Celal also stated that the building will have around 90 very luxurious apartments and it will be able to shelter 500
persons. He also stated that they intent to sell the apartments to English and German citizens who are interested in land
investments. He said that these persons, who in the last years buy land from Spain, Germany, and south Cyprus, decide
for the investment not looking at the buildings but looking at the economic parameters. Therefore said Mr Celal, their
partnership aims to participate in the relevant fairs. He added that they have sale promotion partnerships in Europe and
they aim to sell the apartments “to this part and to these persons”, as he said.
6. Greek Cypriots were arrested by the occupation regime
According to KIBRIS (26.09.04), two Greek Cypriots, a man (61 years-old) and his daughter (31 years-old), were arrested
yesterday morning by the occupation authorities. They were trying to cross to the government-controlled areas at Ayios
Dometios checkpoint. The occupation authorities accused them of stealing seven church books which were protected in
the occupied church of Prastio.
7. The Turkish Penal Code passes without adultery amendment
Turkish Daily News (27.09.04) reports that the Turkish Penal Code (TPC), without the adultery clause was passed
yesterday by Parliament in an emergency session and will become applicable on April 1, 2005.
B. COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS
1. Columnist in Afrika has information about 41 Greek Cypriots executed by the Turkish army in cold blood.
Under the title “Will those days come back?” Turkish Cypriot daily AFRIKA newspaper (25/09/04) publishes the following
commentary by Ali Osman in his column “Periodic”:
“As soon as I had stepped in the paper’s office, he said: ‘Today I did not get my newspaper could you give me one?’ I
gave him the newspaper that I was reading. After a bird’s eye view on the paper… he said: ‘So there were four graves,
weren’t there?’
His eyes were focused on this report. He was rebellious.
‘For God’s sake only before my very eyes 40 people were assassinated´, he said.
Is it possible to remain indifferent before this claim?
With a little bit of journalists’ curiosity…I had asked him a few questions and tried to get some information. While he was
telling me the stories, he lived those days again. These incidents happened in a village near Kyrenia… either on the 22nd
or the 23rd of July 1974… the Turkish troops put all those 35 Greek Cypriots that they had caught in row…the one who
was telling me the story and few (Turkish Cypriot) villagers were watching what was going to happen…They were
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watching in admiration their saviors and awaiting what they will do. The commander of the unit had ordered ‘to execute
all of them’… the soldiers had emptied all their bullets in their guns on these 35 Greek Cypriots. Our friend who told us
these said: ‘We have seen the death there’… and the commander of the unit Major Turgut gave his second order: ‘If there
are people who are in the throes of death put a bullet in their head’… And the troops put a bullet on the head of those who
were not dead yet and thus finished the job…
What our friend told us did not end there… He said that five Greek policemen caught in the Kyrenia region were similarly
executed and buried.
In order to open these graves it is a must that peace should come to this country.
Then out of curiosity I asked him: If they come and ask for your assistance will you help them? ‘Of course, if need be, I will
go to court as well’, he replied.
Once we opened the subject he continued to tell us …
We have heard from him the adventures of one of our major businessmen of today.
This man (the businessman) who was carrying water to the Turkish troops voluntarily, came across an old Greek Cypriot
hiding in the water pumping room and asked him: ‘Didn’t the Turkish troops kill you? ‘I am old’ said the Greek Cypriot and
for this reason ‘they did not kill me’. And the Greek Cypriot went on and said: ´ What worries me is that I have 60
thousand Cyprus pounds with me and I am worried how I would take this money to its place’…He said that, within the
lines, the Greek Cypriot was Kyrenia district responsible for the national lottery…
The moment the ‘waterman’ heard about the 60 thousand Cyprus Pounds jumped on his tractor and went to the camp
where the Turkish troops were stationed and said to the commander that the old Greek Cypriot was preventing him
getting water and cursing to the Turkish troops to die out of thirst…
The Commander’s order was clear ‘Kill the old man’… At present our big businessman takes a soldier with him and
makes the soldier execute the old man and usurps his bag!
My friend not only is ready to show the places of the graves but he is ready to be a witness in a court.
Here it is: Three more graves and the fate of the 41 out of 1460 Greek Cypriot missing persons…
Eye witnesses and the witnesses will tell a lot of things but they are still afraid of…”
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