Turkish Cypriot Network

FORCED ACROSS A MINEFIELD

Two Turkish citizens, who were residing in the TRNC, went across the border to South Cyprus on 17 September with the hope of finding work were badly beaten up and were sent back to the TRNC through a mine field.

The two friends, Kazim Akinci and Hasan Sakinci, were taken to a hospital by the Turkish Cypriot police were found to be in a very bad shape. They were badly beaten up and had cuts on their bodies.

Talking to the journalist, they said they went across hoping to find work and gave themselves up to the Greek Cypriot police but they were beaten by them twice.

The two men who were arrested by the Turkish Cypriot police at the border near Guzelyurt said that they were forced to go through a minefield.

This was not the first time that the Greek Cypriot police done this. Few years ago 22 Turkish Cypriots, who were residing on the Greek side were forced to go to TRNC across a minefield.

Just a reminder, on 1 September 2000 Cyprus Mail news article headline said: "Duo held by Turks are being treated well"

Article said that "Unficyp spokesman Paul Kolken told the Cyprus Mail both 24-year olds were in good health and said they had been well treated. They appeared to be relaxed and have been treated very well,' he said."

Readers should draw their own conclusions

Keep Your Noses Out of Cyprus Problem

Greek Cypriot news agency reported on 16 September that "the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Parliament (EP) has unanimously adopted a motion for a resolution on Cyprus' application for membership of the European Union, which will be presented to the EP plenary session for approval next month."

"In the resolution the EP deplores the lack of goodwill on the part of the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey to make progress with the negotiations on the question of Cyprus and calls on the EU to become more involved in the search for a solution," the news agency said.

It seems that the timing of the EU authorities are always prices. Whenever there are negotiations going on they seem to extend a helping hand to the Greek Cypriot side.

Although the negotiations are still going on in New York, they managed to accuse the Turkish - Turkish Cypriot side yet again.

Accusing the Turkish side, and ignoring the fact that it is the Greek Cypriot side's non recogniton of the rights and the equality of the Turkish Cypriots is the main cause of the problem, has become a normal behaviour for them.

In the case of Cyprus, their so called human rights laws are only used to further nothing but the Greek cause. Sooner they get their noses out of Cyprus problem sooner we will find a solution.

Clerides Misleads the International Community

In his address at the Millennium Summit before the start of the latest talks, Clerides was yet again allowed to mislead the international community.

With no shame or embarrassment he talked about the so-called missing Greek Cypriots and blamed Turkey for the crimes they themselves committed in Cyprus.

Claiming that the UN was failing to implement its resolutions he said: "There is no more flagrant example of this failure to implement resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly and Security Council than the case of Cyprus."

He also said that UN Security Council resolutions must be respected and implemented to safeguard international legal standards.

These resolutions that Clerides talks about are the resolutions that the Turkish Cypriot side do not recognise and will not recognised because they are all passed in their absence. Anything decided concerning the so-called Cyprus Republic is not valid because that republic has no longer contains the equal Turkish Cypriot partner.

Clerides' concerns about safeguarding the international standards should have started at home in Cyprus. He should have safeguarded and respected the standards of his own republic back in 1963.

If he and his cronies did this instead of trying to implement the AKRITAS plan in order to annihilate the Turkish Cypriots, we would not have been in this situation today.

On the issue of the so-called missing Greek Cypriots, Clerides was caught lying yet again. Under the headline "More missing identified" Cyprus Mail reported on September 15, that more and more people are identified to be dead who were supposed to be missing.

Cyprus Mail also reported how the relatives of these so called missing Greek Cypriots suffered for years because of the Greek Cypriot administration's lies.

Cyprus Mail further reported that for the first time the Greek Cypriot administration published an official list of the so-called missing Greek Cypriots back in July.

"In July, the government published for the first time an official list of missing persons, which includes the names, date and place of birth, and last known whereabouts of each person, the majority of whom were soldiers missing in action. The list now stands at 1,490 from 1,619," Cyprus Mail said.

Although the official number on the list is 1,490, Greek Cypriot propaganda machinery still presents this to be 1,619. Also the fact that the majority of them were soldiers missing in action shows that they have lost their lives during the fighting back in 1974.

Instead of lying about a sensitive issue like this, Clerides should tell the truth to end the misery of the relatives of these people. He should also remember that if it was not for Turkish intervention, he could have been amongst the missing because he was on the hit list of the EOKA terrorist. Many of the so-called Greek Cypriot missing are the people who were murdered by EOKA terrorist and Greek Soldiers.

NO TO UNIFIED STATE

A recent opinion poll carried out in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on behalf of the KIBRIS newspaper showed the type of solution the Turkish Cypriots desired for the Cyprus problem.

COMAR, a research firm who carried out the survey, asked a sample of 1,085 people from all parts of the country as to what kind of solution they would like to see for the Cyprus problem. Response to the question was as follows:

31.7% bi-zonal federation - 27.2% two state confederation - 23.3% two independent states - 7.7% integration with Turkey - 5.3% a unified state - 3.3% no answer. In a similar poll carried out last year only 14.5% of the people surveyed said they wanted a confederal solution.

The results this year shows that this category increased to 27.2%, almost hundred percent increase when compared to last year. As the number of people who wanted a federation was the highest at 31.7%, the Greek Cypriot side claimed that the Turkish Cypriot people wanted a federal solution to the Cyprus problem. They immediately flooded the international media with their misleading interpretation.

The truth of the matter is, when the percentage of the people who wants a confederal solution and the percentage of the people who wants an independent state is added together, shows that over 50% of the Turkish Cypriots want their state recognised.

On the other hand, research carried out in South Cyprus few months ago showed that over 60% of the Greek Cypriots said no to a federal solution. At one stage this figure was 84%.

Greek Cypriots pretend to want a federal solution but in reality they want a solution which will give them the full control of the island, they want to turn the clock before 1974, where they controlled all of Cyprus treating Turkish Cypriots as subhuman.

One important result they chose to ignore was the percentage of the people who wanted a unified state, where this was only 5.3%. Greek Cypriots should look at these results more carefully and see that whatever the Turkish Cypriots want, 95% of them do not want a unified state. This is the main conclusion one can derive from these results.

Strong Messages From Cem

While in New York for the 55th UN General Assembly, which coincided with the Cyprus proximity talks, Turkish Foreign Minister Cem gave out strong messages concerning Cyprus problem.

Speaking at a news conference in New York, the Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said that during his talks with Madeleine Albright and Alvaro de Soto he had explained Turkey's discontent arising from the efforts of the United States and the United Nations to force the Turkish side to accept the Greek Cypriot position.

Cem also added UN's duty is to offer creative proposals to bridge the gap between the two sides to help them find a solution to the problem not to impose the Greek position on the Turkish side.

He also reminded that Turkey told the EU, before and after the Helsinki Summit that there would be no change in Turkey's position over Cyprus.

Also during his address of the UN General Assembly, Cem answering to the claims of the Greek Foreign Minister Papandreou that the wall in Nicosia dividing the two communities was the last "Berlin wall of Europe", said these are romantic terms, which implies the wrong things.

He reminded that the Green Line, the so-called wall,"was put up by the UN in 1963 to protect the Turkish Cypriots from Greek Cypriot attacks."

During his speech Cem shortly touched on the recent history of Cyprus and reminded the Assembly as to how Cyprus problem started and came to this point.

He also reminded that "For 26 years, peace and security has prevailed on the island. Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots live in the island as two independent states, two functioning democracies, representing two distinct peoples."

"If a mutually acceptable settlement is sincerely sought, then the model is quite clear; based on the realities of Cyprus, a confederation consisting of two independent states," Cem said.

Also during his speech, concerning the efforts of the Greek Cypriot side to become an EU member, Cem reminded that this would be breaking the International agreements of London and Zurich if South Cyprus joined where Turkey is not a full member and this would be union with Greece through the EU.

Rolandis Comes to Terms

With the Realities

Nicos Rolandis, Greek Cypriot Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister made striking remarks concerning the Cyprus issue.

Rolandis, an ex Foreign Minister, in an extensive interview he gave to the Greek Cypriot newspaper Simerini, analysed the latest situation concerning the Cyprus problem.

In his interview Rolandis said that the situation is heading towards a two-state solution and that the other countries were also looking favourably to a two-state solution.

Claiming that although this was an undesirable development, he said, "even if we do not agree that it is going to be like that, I have no doubt."

Saying that the developments reminded him the time when he resigned while he was the Foreign Minister, Rolandis said: "In my resignation letter I said if we carried on with the same mentality, we would be faced with partition. Now, 17 years later, we see that this is the reality." Rolandis also said "during those years anyone who said anything, which was against the frame work of the national policies was declared a traitor."

Rolandis resigned from his position as the Foreign Minister back in 1983 because even he could not stand the intransigence of his own president Spyros Kyprianou.

Injustice From The Crown Prosecution

Britain's Crown Prosecution Service Decides on 29 August 2000: It's not a crime for a Greek fanatic to hit a Turkish Cypriot over the head with a three-meter wooden cross.

As the Turkish Cypriot Vigil for recognition of their sovereignty and restoration of their human rights continues on, a decision by the British Crown Prosecution Service concerning an attack by a Greek Cypriot, shaken the trust of the Turkish Cypriots in British Justice yet again.

The following is a press release issued by Justice Euro, a human rights organisation based in London, following the Crown Prosecution Service's controversial decision to drop the charges against a Greek fanatic who assaulted a Turkish Cypriot in Whitehall last March.

PRESS RELEASE BY JUSTICE EURO 4.9.2000

The Crown Prosecution Service has dropped a racially motivated assault, which appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday 29th August 2000, at the last minute.

A Greek Cypriot by the name of Stavros A Stavri physically attacked and assaulted a Turkish Cypriot journalist opposite Downing Street Whitehall on 24th March 2000.

The assault happened by the Turkish Cypriot Vigil demonstration, which has been ongoing since November 1999 in Whitehall, the purpose of which is for the lifting of the embargoes and the recognition of Turkish Cypriots state in North Cyprus; as well as the injustices of the authorities in the UK to deal with and prosecute incitement of Racial and Religious violence upon them by Greek Cypriots.

Stavri was arrested and charged with racially motivated assault, which was witnessed, by dozens of people including three police officers. The accused was taken away to Charring Cross police station; although he gave a statement declined the offer to have his solicitor present he was sent lawyers to represent him by an assumed Greek Cypriot organisation, which had subsequently learned of his arrest.

The case first appeared at Bow Street magistrates' court where his lawyers gave a no guilty plea. After many postponements it was opted to go before a jury in the Crown Court. The case finally appeared before Judge Wadsworth QC with Mr James QC from the Bridewell chambers acting as prosecutor for the CPS.

The Turkish Cypriots witnesses and assault victim had repeatedly requested to meet with the prosecutor and the police witness and also asked to have access to his original statements but all had been denied. The Court officials first gave an explanation of the delay, that the jury were waiting to be sworn in and then later that the case would be delayed until the afternoon because the council and judge were discussing the case between themselves.

After a long wait of many hours the police witness than appeared and said the case was not considered to be racial but a political issue and had therefore been dropped by the instructions of the senior officials of the Crown prosecution Service.

When the victim complained and asked to speak with the prosecutor he was told that he had left the court and was not available to discuss the case any further.

Similar complaints had been made and are still ongoing in regard to the Crown Prosecution Service not taking any action against Greek Cypriot organisations who had published and extensively circulated incitement of racial and religious violence against Turks in the UK.

These publications were published in London by Greek newspaper "Ta NEA". A few of the extracts were: -

"Bring your sons up to want to kill a Turk Dog before breakfast, lunch and dinner"

"Go and tell their mothers that we should negotiate with the scum Turk"

"Turkish puppies are brought up to love their Mohammedan religion and to hate other religions."

"Convert to the true faith or face instant death."

"The Turk is not a rational human being..... The Turk is reared to be aggressive.......... He is more accustomed to rape, pillage and loot rather than honest hard graft."

"The only way the Turkish state can legitimise its authority is through a racist ideology of hate for all Orthodox Christians."

"Any Greek traitors who have dealings with the Turk Dog should have to endure IRA style punishment beatings. This involves taking a hammer and bashing it very hard on their knee-caps."

According to the Turkish Cypriots, the CPS had previously given pathetic excuses in not prosecuting including, amazingly, that "it is not in the public interest to prosecute."

It is now believed that there is interference in the course of justice at the highest level by rich and influential Greeks. There are many MPs who are associated with Greek Cypriots, a prime example being the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott who is continually wined and dined and invited to South Cyprus by rich Greek Cypriots. This is an outrage not only to Turkish people, but also to British people, whose system of justice is being subverted.

A CLEAR MESSAGE TO GREEK CYPRIOTS

REST IS UP TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND BRITAIN

At the first day of the forth round of proximity talks, the opening statement of Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General, gave a clear message to Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides that he does not represent the Turkish Cypriots.

In a written statement issued following separate meetings with Greek Cypriot Leader Glafcos Clerides and TRNC President Rauf Denktash Annan stated that, the time had come for the two Cypriot leaders to move toward reunification of the Eastern Mediterranean island on an equal footing.

In his statement given to the leaders Annan said, "I have concluded that the equal status of the parties must and should be recognised explicitly in the comprehensive settlement which will embody the results of the detailed negotiations required to translate this concept into clear and practical provisions."

The statement, which was distributed to the journalist by Alvaro de Soto, Annan's special adviser on Cyprus, also said that "the parties share a common desire to bring about, through negotiations in which each represents its side -- and no one else -- as the political equal to the other, a comprehensive settlement enshrining a new partnership."

While Annan's public acknowledgement of the political equality of the two sides and that the Greek Cypriot leader does not represent the Turkish Cypriots, satisfied the Turkish Cypriots, it angered the Greek Cypriots immensely. It was reported that angered by Annan's declaration that the Turkish Cypriot side is equal to his community and he does not represent the Turkish Cypriot side, Glafcos Clerides considered withdrawing from the proximity talks.

Upon these developments, Clerides announced that he would boycott the second day of the talks. He cancelled the scheduled meetings with the UN envoy Alvaro de Soto, Alfred Moses, the American envoy for Cyprus and the British envoy Sir David Hannay.

A letter, which was sent to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan by Clerides, asked for clarification on the statement that was distributed on the first day. In answer to Clerides' demand for clarification UN Secretary Annan issued a new written statement through his Spokesman Fred Eckhard saying that he "stands by" his opening statement. The new statement also said that the statement in question means what it contains.

Originally, Greek Cypriot sources announced that if Clerides were not satisfied with the clarification he would leave the talks. After an emergency meeting with the Greek Cypriot National Council members who were accompanying him for the talks, and warning from the Greek Prime Minister Simitis, Clerides announced that he would carry on with the talks.

After distributing the opening statement, Alvaro de Soto had to face angry Greek Cypriot journalist. When he was asked the meaning of the phrase "each represents its side -- and no one else," he replied: "Mr. Clerides represents the Greek Cypriot side and Mr. Denktash represents the Turkish Cypriot side. No one at the table can purport to represent anyone but his own side."

Also, when told the Greek Cypriots were unhappy with Annan's statement, Alfred Moses, the U.S. special presidential envoy to Cyprus, said: "Let them reflect on it. They should be happy with it."

Although the Greek Cypriots were disappointed with the situation, Sofronis Sofroniou a Greek Cypriot political analyst, commenting on the UN statement told Cyprus Mail, a Greek Cypriot newspaper that "In the London-Zurich agreement (that established independence), the Turks were the co-founders of the Republic, which can be seen as amounting to political equality in a sense."

On the other hand, TRNC President Denktash said he welcomed the statement of the Secretary-General and that it touched upon all the key issues the Turkish Cypriot side has been defending so far. But he stressed that the statement of Annan was not "sufficient" to open the way to a direct meeting between him and the Greek Cypriot leader.

"This has been what we were saying all through the years. His acknowledgement that Greek Cypriots are not the government of Turkish Cypriots has become the precondition for direct talks. This reality has now been told to Clerides," Denktash said.

Also evaluating the situation, Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit called Annan's statement "a positive development." "We have been saying there are two separate and equal states on the island, and this idea is beginning to be accepted," Ecevit said.

For the last 37 years the Greek Cypriots claimed that they are the sole representatives of the Cyprus republic which they usurped by force. Perhaps now the rest of the world will follow suit and accept the UN Secretary General's acknowledgement that the Turkish Cypriot community is equal to the Greek Cypriot community and that the Greek Cypriots do not represent the Turkish Cypriots.

As one of the guarantor countries for Cyprus, a special due to falls on Britain.

It is about time that British politicians fulfilled their duty to the Turkish Cypriots and honour the agreements that Britain signed during the establishment of the Cyprus Republic in 1960. Britain should recognise the Turkish Cypriot state and see to it that their human rights restored for that is the only way the Greek Cypriots will come to terms with the reality of Cyprus.

Failing this they will carry on with their lies and their claim that they are the sole government of Cyprus.