Gul: Turkey Has Fulfilled Its Duties For A Fair And Lasting Solution Of Cyprus Issue

ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Monday that Turkey had fulfilled its obligation to find a fair and lasting solution to Cyprus solution.
Gul, who interviewed with private NTV channel, said that Turkey expected the same understanding from the other side.
There was a big compromise in Turkey on finding a solution to Cyprus issue, Gul said.
Gul noted, ''Turkey has reached a better position. Turkey wants to resume talks and exerts efforts to find a solution to Cyprus issue before May 1. The issue was evaluated multi-dimensionally and alternatives were taken into consideration. In the end, we thought that this is in line with interests of Turks and Turkey.''
They reached these days at the end of ''long and careful'' work among officials of the Foreign Ministry, General Staff and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Gul pointed out.
Gul said that this situation ended unjust discussions that Turkey and TRNC were uncompromising sides both inside and outside.
When he was recalled the news stories on Erdogan's new text proposal and Turkey's work on a new plan, Gul said that there was not any new plan and added that ''the plan was evident.''
Gul stated that Turkey was working for solution of Cyprus issue assuming a compromising attitude and called on the Greek Cypriot side to take one step.
''As Turkey, we have fulfilled our obligation. We are exerting efforts pragmatically to solve this issue, but the other side should also show the same understanding to reach a solution. Now, we expect this understanding from the other side,'' Gul said.
Gul pointed out that it would technically be difficult to hold a referendum on whole of Annan plan and said, ''we are laying down several proposals to facilitate the process and to show our good will.''
A referendum could be held on basic issues, Gul noted.
Gul said that Annan should talk to the Greek Cypriot side and say that if they were on the same line with Turkey, he wanted the two sides to resume talks.
Foreign Minister Gul said, ''Annan should receive responses he has received from us also from the Greek Cypriot side and Greece. After he receives the same response, he should resume talks as soon as possible.''
Gul stated that he was optimistic that Annan would press on the Greek Cypriot side.
''Otherwise, they know. We have fulfilled our duties. Nobody will have the right to tell us to settle the issue if the other side doesn't do anything. A solution may not be reached till May 1 but if a solution is not reached for some reasons outside our will after we have fulfilled our obligation, nobody can tell us anything and this is an advantage,'' Gul said.
On discussions on a new mediator in Cyprus process, Gul said that Turkey preferred ''an impartial and important personality who would facilitate and speed up talks.''
Gul said that they were working on some names but this person should be a person superior than U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto.
Gul said that Turkey would finish soon the necessary regulations regarding the EU process, adding that if despite that, EU was going to say 'no' to Turkey, then it would be the EU which would lose.
''We will not feel regret for the freedoms we have given to our people. If the EU changes its mind at the last minute, this is its problem, because it will be the one who will lose. This is not the end of the world for us,'' said Gul.
Gul remarked that there was an increasing support for Turkey's EU membership in the European public opinion and both sides would benefit from Turkey's membership, adding that ''will EU think big or not, will it be faithful to its earlier signatures, will it maintain its convincing character or not, these are important issues. These are issues on which the EU focuses more than us.''
When asked if he was optimistic about EU's giving negotiation date to Turkey, Gul said that ''certainly I am optimistic, but still there are some objective things which we have to do. We'll finish them soon, we launch efforts in a sincere way.''
Gul said that the date of starting negotiations was not important, adding that the thing that mattered was taking of the decision to start negotiations with Turkey.
Upon a question about the concerns felt in Europe over Turkey's being a Muslim country, Gul said that no such concern was conveyed to him by any European leader, on the contrary European leaders were aware that this was a big advantage for EU.
''Can these concerns be influential in Turkey's EU process?'' asked the journalist to Gul who said that ''I don't think so, on the contrary, Turkey's being a Muslim country will increase EU's strength.'' Gul said that everybody was aware that Turkey's membership was a big advantage for EU's integration with the Muslim world and the Middle East and for influencing the world peace.
Gul stated that like in Turkey, there were also people in EU who favoured Turkey's membership and those who opposed it.
Noting that everybody, including the U.S., regional countries, sections in Iraq were against formation of a federation based on ethnic groups and sects in Iraq, Gul said that ''but there are some new movements in question, we hope that everybody will assume a realistic attitude.''
Gul stated that American officials assured Turkey many times that the territorial and political integrity of Iraq would be protected and the resources of Iraq would belong to all Iraqi people. Upon a question telling that there was already a de facto system in the north of Iraq Gul stated that ''we don't say anything to its continuation, we must also be realistic. Nobody can say yes to a formation which will cause a separation. Nobody can say yes to anything which will take the steps of division there. Beyond that there are certainly structures which were already set up there, we must respect them, and be realistic. All of these have come true by the support of Turkey. If Turkey didn't extend support, this structure won't come true. In that respect Turks and Kurds should not be shown as if they are enemies of each other. We are relatives of each other. Turkey supported them, when Saddam acted very cruelly against them.''
Gul said that the problematic period with the U.S. due to rejection of March 1 motion was overcome, and the bilateral relations were on good track.
Noting that they would take up Iraqi issue with all of its details during Prime Minister Erdogan's visit to the U.S. and that Turkey had a right to say in this issue as a neighbour country, Gul said that ''certainly there are issues which we feel uneasiness and in which we want to help. We'll discuss all of these in the U.S.''
Gul stated that another important issue was the situation of Turkmens in Iraq, adding that injustice was made towards Turkmens there and this had to be corrected during this transition period in which new institutions were being formed.
Gul pointed out that there were still some issues that impeded the economic cooperation between Turkey and Iraq, adding that this would be taken up during Erdogan's visit.
Upon a question about the U.S.'s attitude towards PKK/KADEK and whether there was an initiative of Turkey in that regard, Gul said that some new steps were taken about this issue a few days ago and some new agreements were concluded.
Gul stated that the U.S. was a country which suffered from terrorism and it was a leading country in fight with terrorism, adding that there was a weakness in the U.S. administration in its fight with PKK/KADEK for the moment, but Turkey believed that this would not continue like that.
Gul denied the news claiming that the U.S. asked for a second base from Turkey.

(AA) 26.01.2004