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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-12-30

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

TURKISH PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA No.250/04 30.12.04

[A] NEWS ITEMS

  • [01] Rauf Denktas alleged that no solution will be possible by October 3rd and blamed the Greek Cypriot side for the deadlock.
  • [02] The hotels in the occupied area of Cyprus will be 96 % full for the New Year.
  • [03] Positive developments in the economy of the occupied areas of Cyprus; The population reached 215.790 in 2003.
  • [04] The well known Turkish Businessman Rahmi Koc stated that Cyprus has been blocking Turkey's road for the last 30 years.
  • [B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

  • [05] Revised National Security Policy Document classifies Greece as Turkey's partner.
  • [06] Columnist in AFRIKA comments on the statements by Rahmi Koc that Cyprus is blocking Turkey's road and accuses Turkey of distributing the properties of Greek Cypriots to settlers from Turkey.

  • [A] NEWS ITEMS

    [01] Rauf Denktas alleged that no solution will be possible by October 3rd and blamed the Greek Cypriot side for the deadlock

    Illegal BAYRAK television station (29.12.04) broadcast that the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas stated that he does not believe that a solution to the Cyprus problem will be possible by October 3rd as suggested by many, because, as he alleged "the Greek Cypriot side has resolved its own problem". Mr Denktas made these statements at illegal Tympou airport. He was returning from Istanbul where he delivered a speech on the Cyprus problem at an event organised by the Culture University of Istanbul.

    "The ongoing non-solution of the Cyprus problem is the result of the Greek Cypriot side's conviction that the problem is resolved. What is important for us is whether or not Turkey will maintain its diplomatic recognition of the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus'. Turkey has recognised the 'TRNC' as an independent and sovereign country for years now, and it is utterly non-sense to claim that the 'TRNC' has no sovereignty of its own and deprive the Turkish Cypriots of the basis of its sovereignty", said Mr Denktas.

    He also replied to a question by criticising those nations which kept recognising the Republic of Cyprus. "Those who continue to treat the 'Greek Cypriot administration' as the government of Cyprus should begin realising the fact that they are also preventing a solution being reached to the Cyprus problem" he alleged repeating his earlier allegations that the Republic of Cyprus has always tried to patch up the Turkish Cypriots to the south.

    [02] The hotels in the occupied area of Cyprus will be 96 % full for the New Year

    Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (30.12.04) reports that the hotels in the occupied area of Cyprus are expected to be 96 % full during the New Year festivities. The paper writes that especially the hotels which have casinos are expected to be 100 % full during the New Year.

    The average occupancy of the hotels during last week was 41 %, notes KIBRIS adding that the illegal Turkish Cypriot Airlines are organizing 156 flights to the occupied area of Cyprus between 30 December 2004 and 05 January 2005. 86 of these flights were scheduled and the rest were additional flights. The illegal airlines are expected to curry to the occupied areas 23.132 persons with these flights.

    The paper notes that according to the statistics, the increase in the number of tourists visiting the occupied area of Cyprus, especially within the period July-September 2004, has positively influenced the economy of the pseudostate.

    [03] Positive developments in the economy of the occupied areas of Cyprus; The population reached 215.790 in 2003

    Under the banner front - page title "Record in the development", Turkish Cypriot daily YENIDUZEN newspaper (30.12.04) reports that the per capita national income in the occupied area of Cyprus increased from 5.949 dollars in 2003 to 7.350 dollars in 2004. The inflation has for the first time decreased to 12 %, while the net income from the sector of tourism has increased from 118 million dollars to 142 millions. The exports of the pseudostate have also increased from 50 million dollars to 59 millions.

    According to the paper, Turkey gave to the occupation regime 379.544.828 dollars in 2004. The aid granted by Turkey since 1995 is more than one billion dollars.

    In statements to YENIDUZEN, the newly appointed Turkish "ambassador" to the occupied part of Nicosia, Aydan Karahan said: "These credits are like the contribution which a family makes to its child who gets married. Therefore, returning them back is not discussed".

    Mr Karahan noted that the investments of Turkey in the occupied part of Cyprus and the aid will continue and added that the aid and the projects are made upon the approval of the "government" of the occupation regime.

    Furthermore, according to a table that the paper publishes, the population of the occupied part of Cyprus was 215.790 in 2003, while in 2004 it is expected to reach 218.066.

    [04] The well known Turkish Businessman Rahmi Koc stated that Cyprus has been blocking Turkey's road for the last 30 years

    Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRISLI newspaper (30.12.04) reports that Mr Rahmi Koc, the honorary chairman of the Koc Holding in Turkey stated that Cyprus has been blocking Turkey's road for the last 30 years. He also stated that Turkey's foreign policy is dependent on Cyprus.

    Speaking in a meeting in Turkey, Mr Koc commented on Turley's EU membership and on the Cyprus problem. "The fact that 'south Cyprus' entered the EU and we were left out, has weakened Turkey", he said. He also added that the best road that Turkey has to follow in order for a solution to be found for the Cyprus problem, is to ask from the UN Secretary-General Annan to bring up a new plan which the two sides in the island will accept by the 3rd of October 2005. Mr Koc also stated that the Turkish government manages "very well" the Cyprus problem.


    [B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

    [05] Revised National Security Policy Document classifies Greece as Turkey´s partner

    At a time when the violations of Greece's airspace by Turkish warplanes has become a routine practice, the casus belli decision by the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) if Greece exercises its rights deriving from the international law is not revoked, Turkey's occupation of Cyprus and the violation of the human rights of EU citizens is going on unhindered, the revised National Security Document classifies Greece as a partner.

    A commentary in HURRIYET, the full text of which follows, outlines the views expressed in the National Security Document, under formulation, for which certain Turkish military units have not yet expressed opinion and from which it seems that Turkey's perception of neighbourly relations is based Ottoman criteria.

    The commentary by Sukru Kucuksahin under the title: "Al-Qa'ida and Shahab-3, rather than Greece, constitute threats", is published in HURRIYET on 27.12.04.

    "The work related to the rewriting the National Security Policy Document (MGSB) will be completed in one or two months.

    Despite the fact that the Foreign Ministry and certain military units have not yet expressed their views, efforts have already begun to draw up the framework of the new document.

    Looking at this framework, it is possible to see that this time major changes will be realized in the document that was accepted during the meeting of the National Security Council in 1997 and that underwent certain changes in 2001.

    Despite the fact that no one has any doubts that separatist and reactionary activities will continue to top the list of domestic threats, "idealist mafia" primarily and certain old chapters will be totally removed.

    The demand to intensify the struggle against the mafia, in turn, will maintain its place.

    Subtitle: Greece Is becoming Turkey's partner

    In the MGSB the most important changes will be realized in the perception of foreign threats.

    Greece has stopped topping the list of foreign threats for the first time in the 82-year history of the document and it has moved toward the bottom of the list.

    Turkey, which is making progress en route to the EU, cannot continue to view a country that will become its partner after 10 years as a threat. This runs counter to seriousness of the state.

    Therefore, the term "the possibility of clashes exists" that had been used in the past also becomes history, but attention is drawn to the fact that certain problems still remain on the agenda.

    In relation to Greece the previous document had noted that Syria "may take place by the side of Greece in case of possible clashes with the latter." In the new document, however, Syria is moved toward the end of the list.

    In the new document the relations with the neighboring countries are removed outside the scope of the phrase "the former assessments should be maintained as they are" -- a phrase that was included in the previous document. Furthermore, the new document calls for developing Turkey's economic relations with its neighbors and encourages good neighborly relations.

    Subtitle: The Shahab-3 may hit Istanbul

    Despite the fact that compared with the past, Turkey has improved its relations with its neighbors, the new MGSB will differ from the previous documents where Turkey's relations with a certain neighboring country are concerned.

    Despite the fact that the relations with Iran seem to be warm, there is a serious crisis in the relations between the two countries. It is seen that Turkey has serious concerns regarding Iran's missile power and nuclear capacity.

    The fact that the Shahab-3 missiles that have recently been tested by Iran are capable of hitting Istanbul, places this country at the top of the list of foreign threats.

    There is a second issue that is viewed as equally dangerous and that is Iraq and, in this regard, international terrorism.

    Al-Qa'ida is viewed as synonymous to international terrorism.

    The terrorist actions undertaken by the organization in question against the synagogues, the British Consulate, and the HSBC building in Istanbul as well as the recent massacres conducted against Turkish citizens and security officials in Iraq are noted down.

    These actions undertaken by Al-Qa'ida against Turkey are perceived as the organization's efforts to alienate Turkey from Europe and to create internal confusion.

    Subtitle: All institutions constitute the guarantee of the regime

    It is possible to list some of the important points in the document as follows:

    -- Turkey does not have an important problem with Armenia. Rather, the problem stems from the Armenian diaspora. This is why attention is drawn to the diaspora which also seems to distress Armenia.

    -- The fact that the border with Armenia is closed stems from Armenia's Azerbaijani policy, rather than the relations between Armenia and Turkey.

    -- Full membership in the EU continues to be Turkey's goal, albeit cautiously.

    -- The relations with the Turkic world should be further enhanced. It is greatly beneficial to resolve the problems that have recently emerged with Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

    -- Economic cooperation with Russia in particular and the relations with this country in general should be further developed.

    Left-wing terrorism will take place at the bottom of the list in the new document, which puts emphasis on safeguarding economic stability and strengthening social peace.

    It is not clear whether or not the sects will be included in the document that will recall that it is the duty of all the state units to safeguard the regime.

    It seems that this problem stems from the fact that an answer has not yet been found to the question on "whether or not the Community Houses are places of worship or culture clubs."

    [06] Columnist in AFRIKA comments on the statements by Rahmi Koc that Cyprus is blocking Turkey's road and accuses Turkey of distributing the properties of Greek Cypriots to settlers from Turkey

    Under the title "Who blocked whose road?" AFRIKA newspaper (30.12.04) publishes the following commentary by Sener Levent:

    "The big businessmen do not enter active politics but prefer to direct the politicians. Perhaps only the "great idealists" do not know that it is not the politicians who rule the world but the patrons of the economy.

    A big businessman from Turkey one day said to me: `In every election I elect at least eleven members of parliament´. Himself he was never a candidate. He was not even seen a lot in the political circles. He always chose to remain in backstages. Who can refuse the power of capital in the bourgeois democracies? The political parties should first win the owners of the big capital before the hearts of the people' those securing this support count on winning the elections as well.

    For this reason Lenin does not consider as election the elections taking place in capitalist countries' For this reason he brands a parliament established with such an election "a stable of the bourgeois"'

    However, this is not our issue in our article today. Our subject is Rahmi Koc'

    A businessman at the top in Turkey' Mr Rahmi Koc is Turkey´s Ford or Rockfeller'

    Always outside active politics'

    If he opens his mouth, however, whatever he says becomes leading articles in the papers'

    Look at what he said now:

    `Cyprus has blocked Turkey's way for 30 years!´

    Did this really happen?

    Who is blocking whose road for 30 years?

    Is Cyprus blocking Turkey´s or Turkey Cyprus´ way?

    Mr Rahmi said something else as well'

    `We followed a policy of dependence on Cyprus´ he says'

    On our part, however, we have been stuck on thinking the opposite since a long time'It is not Turkey which is dependent on us' But it is us who are dependent on Turkey'The businessman approaches everything from his angle of course' His company's interests are always in his priorities'

    Perhaps Koc did not have a lot do with Cyprus but we also do not think (Cyprus) harmed his company's international interests.

    If Mr Rahmi Koc takes a little more careful look he can see the reality.

    Since Turkey settled in Cyprus its road was not blocked, but it was opened more.

    If today Turkey got a negotiations date from the EU it is thanks to Cyprus.

    If Turkey is approached positively by Europe, this is thanks to Cyprus'

    If Cyprus was not in Turkey´s hands, if it did not keep 40,000 soldiers on the island, would anybody speak to Turkey so kindly?

    Erdogan could say "bye-bye" to nobody if Cyprus was not in his hands' He could not have behaved in the spirit `I am abandoning this table´.

    And the Europeans would not tolerate Erdogan´s threat if they did not think of Cyprus'

    Neither Blair, nor Shroeder or Berlusconi would get up to stop him and beg him saying `Please don´t leave´.

    If Europe is giving Turkey a date for accession negotiations without taking into consideration its many deficiencies which are not at all in harmony with the Copenhagen criteria, this too is thanks to Cyprus.

    It is our road which is blocked Mr Koc and not Turkey´s'

    If Turkey was suffering losses from the Cyprus problem it would pack up and leave from here since a long time.

    At least it would be willing for a solution. It could at least restore the interrupted constitutional order of the Republic of Cyprus for which it claimed that it landed here in 1974. But it opted for the non-solution and not the solution.

    It transferred population to the island'

    It gave title-deeds of the properties of the Greek Cypriot displaced persons to citizens from Turkey. It opened here the casinos it closed down in Turkey.

    It laundered a lot of black money in off-shore banks. Many ring leaders settled here'In exchange of all these it established a ghost state for us here.

    For 30 years we were hanging in the air' And we still are'

    In that case tell me'Who is blocking whose road? Is Cyprus blocking Turkey's or Turkey is blocking Cyprus´.

    /SK


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