GREEK SIDE IS IN TROUBLE
BY ISMET BERKAN (RADIKAL)
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against the
break up of Iraq, saying, “a federated structure in Iraq based
on ethnicity or religious sects will not be healthy,” in an
interview with contributing editor Lally Weymouth in the
February 2 issue of Newsweek. Erdogan answered Weymouth’s
questions on the issues of Cyprus, Iraq and the European Union.
“By taking the Annan plan as a reference point, we are showing
good will,” Erdogan said. “We are in favor of a permanent
solution.” Upon a question what he can do to change the mood
of certain European countries which are firmly opposed to
Turkey’s EU membership, Erdogan responded, “As much as we
would like to be a part of the European Union family, the EU
should want Turkey to be part of it. If the EU wants to be an
address where civilizations meet, it must take Turkey in.” In
addition, he also offered his views about the northern Iraq
issue. “The reality is that a federated structure in Iraq
based on ethnicity or religious sects will not be healthy,”
said the premier. “It will bother Syria, Iran and Turkey. The
steps taken by the Kurds in Kirkuk are not healthy. Attempts
by one ethnic group to exercise sovereignty over another are
not fair. It doesn't matter if that ethnicity is Kurdish,
Turkish, Arabic, Chaldean or whatever. This is going to hurt
the unity of Iraq. Secondly, what is going on in Kirkuk
creates the possibility that Iraqi oil, which should belong to
all Iraqis, will be exploited by only one ethnic group [the
Kurds]. Naturally, the other ethnic elements will not have a
positive attitude toward this.” /All Papers/
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is on a week-long
visit to the United States, yesterday spoke at the private
Council on Foreign Relations in New York City. Erdogan said
that granting greater autonomy for Kurds living in northern
Iraq would destabilize the region, underlining that Kurdish
autonomy in Iraq does not serve Turkish interests. “Any
ethnically-oriented or sectarian federation is not favorable
to Turkey,” he said. “In democracies, these are not very
healthy approaches and they do not serve for the formation of
a healthy political structure, and it would put Iraq in an
even more difficult position in the future.” In addition,
Erdogan called for a new envoy to take over negotiations to
reunify the war-divided island of Cyprus, repeating criticism
of negotiations to reunify the island. The premier called for
the participation of “an independent, impartial country, a
country that has political weight” in the Cyprus negotiations.
Erdogan also said that he saw Turkey's role as a peacemaker in
the Central Asian region. “In a sense, it is not possible to
define the world's geopolitics of the 21st century in terms of
conventional politics,” he added. “One has to also take into
consideration such elements as political and social values,
interaction between societies, identity and cultural harmony.
Turkey does not confine itself in the strict sense of national
interest alone, but rather pursues a pro-active foreign policy
aimed at contributing to regional and global peace and
security.” /All Papers/
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with
international finance circles at a breakfast in New York.
Expressing belief that strong political will of the government
to continue to implement economic reform program should be
perceived as the most valid guarantee by international finance
circles, Erdogan recalled that Turkey and the US, two members
of democratic and free world, attached the highest importance
to democracy, freedom, human rights and rule of law. “These
common goals we share have enabled our countries to have
multilateral and multidimensional relations,” added the
premier. “It is obvious that we should further upgrade our
economic relations with our strategic partner US to the level
of our political and military cooperation. We wish to take
positive steps and make cooperation in the Balkans, Caucasus
and Central Asia as well as our cooperation in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Turkey has taken significant steps to liberalize
its economy, trade regime and capital market. Our country is
determined to continue its economic reform and stability
program, the positive results of which started to be seen in
2003. Economic reform process gives priority to private sector
and free market actors and is directed by policies depending
on privatization and integration with world economy. We
appreciate support of the US.” He also added that Turkey
needed foreign investments in large scale. Erdogan also met
with US Jewish community yesterday night and received the
“Bravery Award” from the American Jewish Committee (AJC). He
conveyed the message that the Jewish community should not
worry about the security of the Jews living in Turkey,
stressing that his government is firmly committed to fight
against terrorism. The premier also called the US and Israel
to establish a Qualified Industrial Zone in southeastern
Anatolia region. /All Papers/
Appearing on television yesterday, Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul said that Turkey wanted negotiations to begin on
the island within the framework of the United Nations Cyprus
plan. Gul said that the Foreign Ministry and the General Staff
discussed the Cyprus issue in details and that they were in
consensus, which made Turkey more powerful. Gul reiterated
Turkey’s good faith to help a resolution on the island, adding
that now it was Greek Cypriots’ turn to take steps for a
resolution. Touching on Turkish-US relations, Gul said that
the US administration’s stance towards the PKK/KADEK terrorist
organization wasn’t satisfactory, adding that it had also
suffered terrorist attacks. /Aksam/
After meeting with Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok,
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf
Denktas yesterday left Ankara. Speaking to reporters at
Esenboga Airport, Denktas said that Turkish Cyprus and Ankara
was in a full compromise on the Cyprus issue. Reiterating that
TRNC wanted a just and permanent solution on the island,
Denktas said, “We call on the Greek Cypriot administration to
take the reality of the island into consideration.” Stressing
that during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s current
visit to the United States, the Cyprus issue would be an
important topic on the agenda to be discussed with the US
officials, Denktas said that a re-evaluation might be done
following his return to Ankara. The TRNC president stated that
without an agreement, holding a referendum was not possible,
adding that finding a settlement on the island by May 1 was
very difficult even if both sides worked hard. Concerning a
mediator, he pointed to the importance of coordination between
Turkey and the United Nations, and claimed that Alvaro De Soto,
UN Cyprus Special Envoy, had disappointed everybody during
recent talks. /Cumhuriyet/
Speaking at a gathering held by Turkish Economies and
Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) in Istanbul, Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali
Talat said that finding a settlement on Cyprus served both
interests of Turkish and Greek Cypriots and that it would also
be an advantage for Turkey during its European Union
membership bid. Stressing that his government came to the
power to solve the issue, Talat said, “We are on the same
board with Greek Cypriots, and we have to reach a settlement.”
Greek Cypriot Administration former President George Vassiliou
also addressed the meeting. He said, “UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan’s Cyprus plan was a just one. However, if there are
some deficiencies, they can be solved at the table.”
Commenting on Turkish side’s desire to change the mediator,
Vassiliou said it would be a waste of time. /Turkiye/
Parliamentarian Assembly of the Council of Europe yesterday
began its winter meetings in Strasbourg. During its tomorrow
session, a Cyprus report prepared by Hungarian Parliamentarian
Matyas Eorsi is set to be voted. The report reportedly urges
the European Union to encourage Ankara for its efforts to
solve the Cyprus issue plus Greek Cyprus to take steps towards
a settlement. /Turkiye/
Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis said yesterday that
Turkey should change its stance in a bid to a just and
permanent settlement on Cyprus in line with the United Nations
resolutions. He also said that Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s recent statements on the issue were not clear.
Commenting on United States Secretary of State Colin Powell’s
recent request to make pressure on the Greek Cyprus to take
steps for a settlement, Greek Foreign Minister George
Papendreou said, “If United Nations Secretary-General doesn’t
put forward any precondition, we are ready to begin talks
tomorrow.” He added that Greek side would not accept Turkey’s
any plan if it was not within the framework of Kofi Annan’s
Cyprus plan. “We accept that Turkish government intends to
make positive changes in its stance, however, we want to see
their implementations,” said the Greek minister. Regarding
Turkey’s desire for a change of the mediator during talks
possible to begin, he claimed that Alvaro de Soto had an
experience and full knowledge on the topic and if he were
changed, it would be a waste of time. /Turkiye/
Behram Salih, a top official of the Iraqi Patriotic Union
of Kurdistan (IPUK), who is currently in Washington for an
official visit, said yesterday that they would hold elections
in 2005 to form a “Kurdistan” government. “Kirkuk is a part of
Kurdistan and the Kirkuk citizens will decide about the future
of it,” said Salih. In related news, Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in the US to meet with US
President George W. Bush, said that the Iraqi Kurds’ steps in
Kirkuk were not healthy, adding that such an approach would
hurt Iraq’s territorial integrity. “A federation based on
ethnical elements in Iraq wouldn’t be appropriate,” he added.
/Turkiye/
Columnist Sami Kohen comments on the new hopes about the
Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:
“Difficult developments in Turkey’s stance on the Cyprus
issue give the hope that we’re entering a final stage in this
issue. Reactions of the United Nations, the US and the
European Union show that the Turkish initiative was welcomed
positively and that it’s encouraging for starting a new
process of negotiation. After Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s visit to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and
yesterday and US President George W. Bush tomorrow, it is
expected that an intensive process of looking for solution
will begin.
I wonder if it will be successful this time. This question
was discussed at a conference held by the Turkish Economic and
Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) in Istanbul yesterday. The
crowded group of Greek Cypriot, consisting of important
politicians, seemed to be pleased with the stance of Turkey
and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Greek
Cypriot administration’s former Government Spokesman Michalis
Papapetrou said, ‘Latest statements by Mr. Erdogan give the
impression that there are important changes in the Turkish
side’s stance. If this policy continues, the path of solution
will be opened.’
In addition, Papapetrou and other Greek Cypriot
participants mentioned their doubts and asked these questions:
‘Will the Turkish side consider Annan’s plan the base of
negotiation? Will Denktas follow this line as the negotiator?
Does the Turkish side favor a solution actually? Will they
display the flexibility necessary for this?’ These questions
show that the Greek Cypriot administration can’t trust Ankara
fully yet. Actually Erdogan’s new suggestions such as the
‘mediator’ and ‘narrowed document’ confused Greek Cypriot and
Turkish circles. Speaking at the lunch held by TESEV yesterday,
TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said Erdogan should
explain these issues and that a new and dynamic process
started on the path of solution. As Talat mentioned,
governments in Ankara and Nicosia are determined and another
important factor is the international conjuncture. All these
things make it possible to be optimist once more.”
Columnist Ismet Berkan comments on the Cyprus problem. A
summary of his column is as follows:
“Athens is searching for a response for the Turkish move on
Cyprus by the United Nations. Their claims broke down and now
they’re looking for ways not to sit on the table. The key now
seems to be the provisions set in by UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan in the past, to start negotiations on Cyprus again.
Turkey has fulfilled an important part of these provisions. If
we would look at the news reflected on yesterday’s dailies,
Ankara does also accept the provision on referendum before May
1. Athens and the Greek Cypriot part on the other hand haven’t
adjusted any of the provisions. On the contrary, both the
Greek Cypriots and Greece say, ‘We won’t accept Annan’s
provisions.’ Lastly Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou
said that they wouldn’t accept the provision on referendum.
The aim of this provision seems to force the parties for an
agreement. If the parties couldn’t reach a solution until the
date for the referendum, then they will accept another
condition based on the provision on referendum: UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan will decide on the issues on which no consensus is
reached that is Annan will fill the blanks. When Annan invited
the sides to Hague, this provision was already on the table.
Before going to Hague, President of the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Rauf Denktas said Ankara that he can’t
accept this provision and if he would accept it and the
country would go for a referendum, then the majority would be
against the Annan plan. And Ankara said, ‘That’s good because
the Turkish side would use its right for self determination
and no body would say anything to the result’ Ankara’s
suggestion was very clear: Accept all the provisions including
the referendum. Don’t be the one who leaves the table. Denktas
didn’t listen to these suggestions.
This time Ankara is pushing harder on Denktas. Denktas met
with the prime minister, president and the chief of general
staff in Ankara. His aim was to find a sign on a disagreement
between the three. But this time he couldn’t find any
disagreement. That means if there is a lack of confidence for
Denktas, The Turkish side has now a more solid stance.
Since the Turkish side is very determined, the Greek
Cypriots and Athens are surprised and trying to make up lies.
The statement from Athens and Nicosia displays that both
Greece and Greek Cypriots would never accept a solution based
on the Annan plan. New Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos based
his election campaign on being against the Annan plan. And the
former leader Clerides, wrote in his memories openly that he
was not going to accept the Annan plan but wanted to be seen
as accepting it and leave the job for refusing it to Denktas.
Now it seems as the roles in Cyprus have changed. If only
Turkey would do these steps before the Copenhagen Summit and
Denktas wouldn’t reject the plan at the beginning.”
