Serter Says People Should Focus On Criteria Of Political Solution For Eu Membership Not To Turn Into Enosis

LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Parliament Speaker Vehbi Zeki Serter said on Monday that Greek Cypriot people who could not reach success in their ideal for integration with Greece through weapon and violence were trying to reach it through Byzantine intrigues under the body of European Union (EU) and added that people should focus on criteria of political solution for EU membership not to turn into ''Enosis.''
Serter who issued a message for anniversary of fascist Greek coup in Cyprus said that fascist Greek junta's bloody blow to regime of chief bishop Makarios in Cyprus on July 15, 1974 should be taken into consideration when evaluating Cyprus issue.
Stating that Turkish people who were natural obstacle of Enosis were also included in targets of fascist coup, Serter said that July 15 coup made obligatory Turkey's intervention in the island on July 20, 1974 by basing on international right and law stemming from guaranty agreement. He underlined that many Greek Cypriot people lost their lives during the coup.
''The Peace Operation was launched in order to prevent Turkish Cypriots being mass massacred and annexation of Cyprus to Greece. Greek Cypriot side's pardoning defenders of Enosis in a short period of time was the sign of real targets of Greek Cypriots,'' he said.
Serter noted, ''Greek Cypriots could not reach their target for 11 years by using arms. Now, they have been trying to reach their ideal of annexation with Greece under the roof of the European Union (EU). Western countries have been supporting these outdated tricks of the Greek Cypriot side by ignoring the facts on the island. In order to prevent Greek Cypriot side's EU membership's turning into annexation, criteria of a possible political solution should be assessed carefully and these criteria should include political equality, sovereignty rights, bizonality and Turkey's influential and de facto guarantee.''
''A total of 29 years have elapsed since the military coup which was held under the leadership of Greek generals against Makarios in order to annex Cyprus to Greece, but turned into a massacre later. The coup was prevented by Turkish soldiers' peace operation on July 20 by using Turkey's guarantorship rights. On July 15, 1974, Greek Cypriot members of EOKA together with officers and soldiers of Greek junta of colonels in Cyprus held a military coup against Makarios to reach their target of annexation which they had to delay due to resistance of Turkish Cypriots. Makarios was planning to reach this target in a longer period of time,'' he said.
Greek military junta overthrew Makarios in collaboration with EOKA in Cyprus and assumed EOKA terrorist Nikos Sampson as so-called ''president''.
During the coup, nearly two thousand Greek and Greek Cypriot people who were against EOKA or Makarios supporters were also killed. Fascist junta also incited increase in the acts of violence against Turks.
Greece held its first coup on December 21, 1963 to annex the island to itself. Together with the then Cyprus President Makarios and other collaborators, Greece put into practice the Akritas Plan which they prepared to annihilate Turkish Cypriots whom they considered an obstacle in front of their method of achieving Enosis but they faced a resistance which they did not expect.
Greeks and Greek Cypriots who massacred a number of Turks and managed to exclude Turks from the ''Cyprus Republic'' organs under this plan, launched bloody attacks on Gecitkale and Bogazici villages with the same purpose on November 15, 1967. When Turkey gave ultimatum and initiated preparations for an intervention in the island, Greeks and Greek Cypriots changed their policy and put into practice a long-term plan with the aim of destroying the economy of Turkish Cypriots and forcing them to migrate from the island.
A conflict erupted between EOKA supporters headed by Grivas who were impatient of putting into practice Enosis plan and supporters of Makarios who defended the view of acting slowly and not being in a hurry. This conflict turned into armed clashes from time to time and unsuccessful assassination attempts were launched against Makarios prior to July 15, 1974. Greek fascist colonels who overthrew Makarios in cooperation with EOKA supporters on July 15, 1974 in Cyprus and who declared Nikos Sampson as the so-called ''president'' had also played a significant role in intensifying acts of terrorism against Turks. Makarios who saved himself addressed the U.N. Security Council on July 19, 1974, he explained the aim of Greece in a clear way, explained the massacres and the dangers that waited for Turkish Cypriots.
When the incidents reached a peak, Turkey used its rights stemming from international alliance and guarantee agreements and it launched the peace operation on July 20, 1974 to protect the lives and security of Turkish Cypriots. Both the right to live and the security of Turkish Cypriots was ensured with the peace operation and the ones who staged the coup withdrew. In Greece, the junta period which started with a military coup in 1967 ended and a democracy was founded.
Meanwhile, ceremonies were held in churches to condemn the coup in the Greek Cypriot side the same day. Greek Cypriot ministers also attended the ceremonies.
(EÖ-UK-MS-Öª-AÖ) 14.07.2003