Erdogan: Turkey's Mission In Cyprus Is To Show Positive Approach

WASHINGTON D.C. - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that the mission of Turkey, as a guarantor country, was to have a positive approach about the issue like it always had.
Speaking to reporters covering his visit to the U.S., Erdogan said that he paid a very successful visit to the U.S. and the positive results of the visit would be taken soon.
When asked if the U.S. put a schedule in fight with terrorist organization PKK/KADEK in north of Iraq, Erdogan said that ''within the scope of the consensus reached with the U.S. in common fight with terrorism, one of the important issues in reassociation law were Mahmuriye camps. Foreign ministries of the two countries made an agreement about the issue. So the first concrete step has been taken. In addition, the U.S.'s announcing Kongragel as the terrorist organization in Iraq is very important for us. In the coming period, it is not possible to be in harmony with the terrorist organizations or to show any tolerance to them. I saw that the U.S. administration had a definite attitude in fight with terrorism. Their attitude regarding Mahmuriye and Kongragel is an important step.''
When reminded about the coming elections in Greece and about the possibility of using Cyprus as a tool in elections, Erdogan said that ''I am concerned as to whether the solution of the issue could be postponed due to the elections in Greece. It is our mission as a guarantor state to continue our positive approach. The thing that will be done by TRNC will be to sit at negotiation table by pursuing an attitude in line with that. Now TRNC says that 'persuade Greek Cypriots, whatever step it takes, we will go one step ahead of them.''
Erdogan said that a consensus of opinion was reached about the issue between the concerned sides in the Turkish side, adding that steps were being taken in that direction.
When asked if Greece could take the initiative of postponing the solution process in Cyprus by showing the elections as an excuse, Erdogan said that ''this is not our problem anymore. Because the issue is urgent and needs to be solved until May 1. We take this step within the scope of emergency. If one needs to talk about elections, we will also have elections in March.''
Upon a question, Erdogan said that the United States wanted this issue to be solved rapidly. When a reporter said that they understood that ''the United States, that is, Colin Powell was an intervener in the issue, Erdogan said, ''we cannot call him an intervener, but facilitator. They can undertake such a role. They can be followers of the issue and they can help the issue.''
Upon another question, he said that the press would be informed about new steps on Cyprus issue.
When a reporter said that his visit to the United States had two main issues; Cyprus and Iraq and asked whether or not he reached the result which he wanted in these issues, Erdogan said that his visit did not end yet and the press would be informed about those issues.
Erdogan said that developments were positive and noted that steps which had been planned were taken so far.
Asked whether or not problems which took place during the discussions of a motion that was not accepted by the parliament to let U.S. troops use Turkish territories prior to the U.S. intervention in Iraq, were brought onto the agenda during his visit, Erdogan said that those issues left in the past and added that they would talk about tomorrow.
Upon another question, Erdogan said that he conveyed the issue of qualified industrial zones to the U.S. President Bush.
Stating that initiatives in improvement of commercial relations between the two countries would continue, Erdogan said that they wanted relations to be further improved with new investments in 2004.
Asked whether or not there was need for a new stand-by in 2004, Erdogan said that IMF programs had many different practices in the world. ''We will make an assessment after we see the point that we reach. Assessment will be made in mid-2004,'' he noted.
When asked whether a joint operation between Turkey and the United States against PKK/KADEK was in question, Erdogan said that they did not have such a decision.
ERDOGAN: TURKISH-AMERICAN RELATIONS HAVE BECOME MORE POSITIVE
Erdogan said that ''we have paid visits to Washington D.C. which started with the visit of Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and which continued with the visit of Foreign Minister Gul and later with mine.'' Erdogan noted that those circles which wanted to overshadow the bilateral relations after the war in Iraq could not reach their goal.
Erdogan said that the U.S. side expressed pleasure over the permission of Turkey regarding the use of Incirlik base in rotation of U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
Erdogan stressed that the approach of the U.S. towards the terrorist organization in north of Iraq was also a sign of the good bilateral relations.
When asked what kind of a result he attained from his visit, Erdogan said that ''we brought the things that needed to be brought to table. It has been a successful visit. If your intention is sincere, its result will also be sincere.''
Upon a question about the expectation of commencement of negotiations in Cyprus soon, Erdogan said that ''as the Turkish side, we took the steps that needed to be taken so far. The remaining part belongs to the other side, wherever Southern Cyprus reaches, TRNC will be one step ahead of it. The ball is in the other side.''
Erdogan noted that the elections in Greece could not be shown as an excuse of not taking steps, adding that ''in Turkey there are also local elections. There will be elections in the U.S. too. But only three months have been left until May 1. The process is short, we've fulfilled our mission. We believe in the good offices of U.N. and we take Annan plan as reference. U.N. Secretary General will meet with Greece and give his decision. We requested the U.N. Secretary General to start negotiations as soon as possible.''
Asked when he would depart from the United States, Erdogan said that he could leave Boston for Turkey on Saturday.
Upon a question on the United States's staging military operation against PKK and asked whether the period which was given in the Reassociation Law would be extended or not, Erdogan said, ''we don't have such a thing in our program. When the period ends, people cannot benefit from the law.''
Erdogan noted that the United States would make strategic situation assessment against PKK.
Asked if 8.5 billion U.S. dollars of loan allocated by the United States for Turkey would be used, Erdogan said that this financial support was not taken into account as an item in 2004 year budget.
Stating that this issue was not urgent, Erdogan said, ''if there is development on this issue and if it is appropriate for our circumstances, we will ask it. Otherwise, we don't think of using it.''
ERDOGAN: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN TURKEY-U.S. RELATIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT
Erdogan said that Turkey had an important place in the Middle East with its Islamic culture and democratization and the steps to be taken through Turkey would give positive results.
''We told the U.S. side that we are ready for solidarity,'' said Erdogan. When a reporter told Erdogan that the U.S. foreign policy was criticized for being tough and asked if the model proposed by him would comply with policies pursued by Bush administration, Erdogan said that the cost of pursuing an interventionary attitude would be heavy pointing out to the recent positive atmosphere in the Middle East. Positive developments were seen after the quake of the Iran which accepted the aid of the U.S., Erdogan said, adding that such kind of positive developments would contribute to democratization in the world. The visit of Syrian President Bashar Al Asad to Turkey after 57 years and the developments in Iran were also meaningful in respect of showing the importance of Turkey in the region, he added.
Upon a question asking if the U.S. administration found strange the applications in Turkey about freedom of religion and conscience, Prime Minister Erdogan said that ''as the AK Party, we opened to debate the concept of being conservative democrats. We are examining the political parties in the world. We brought a new concept. Some say there is no such combination called conservative democrat. If there is not, we are bringing it now.''
''I think that many problems will be sorted out if 1982 constitution is fully implemented. We took the definition of secularism from the 1982 Constitution and put it in our party programme. This is our reference. We are at equal distance to all religions, we defend the rights of all beliefs. The difficulties at the moment stem from various interpretations made on articles of the Constitution.''
Erdogan stated that having suspicious approaches while assessing EU and Cyprus issues should be avoided, adding ''we should have an optimistic point of view rather than a pessimistic one. Please help us in that regard.''
Recalling the criticisms made by certain press members accusing the government of pursuing ''give and get rid of Cyprus'' policy, Erdogan said that ''what will we give and get rid of? This is nonsense. We take these steps by seeing that insolubility is not beneficial for Turkey and Turkish Cypriots. You also saw that in the press statement issued after the National Security Council meeting. We also met with administration, president, prime minister and deputy prime minister in TRNC. There is no need to create tension.''
Asked whether or not TRNC President Rauf Denktas would be an obstacle in negotiations, Erdogan said that President Denktas was a negotiator and TRNC Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister were also negotiators.
Upon a question on cooperation in intelligence field with the United States, Erdogan said that this cooperation had existed before incidents in Istanbul on November 15-20 and it started to increase after September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. Stating that cooperation in this field was continuing in its positive course with the United States, Erdogan said that situation with neighbor countries was also good.
When he was reminded that issues including Cyprus, Iraq and terrorism were in the agenda of Turkey prior to his visit to the United States and asked whether or not there were other issues in the agenda of the U.S. administration, Erdogan said that issues which were taken up in the meetings were determined before his visit and noted that meetings were held within the scope of schedules which were made earlier.
Asked if the issue of Turkmens was brought onto the agenda in meetings with U.S. officials, Erdogan said that they were against ethnical and sectarian structuring and that's why they did not bring the issue onto the agenda. ''When we defend this view, it will be wrong if we bring the issue of Turkmens onto the agenda. It will not be a fair approach,'' he noted.
Stating that the U.S. administration had an optimistic tendency on Cyprus issue, Erdogan said that the issue of facilitator was not brought onto the agenda as a condition. Erdogan noted that the issue of facilitator was brought onto the agenda on the point of helping the solution also in his meeting with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan in Davos. He stated that there were four conditions in the Annan plan and any new thing was not added to those conditions.
Replying to a question which said unless the U.S. administration's and Annan's initiatives yielded a persuasive result on Greece and Greek Cypriot side, what the situation would be, Erdogan said, ''we also brought this issue onto the agenda in meeting with Mr. Prodi. If there is not any result, no one has right to act against Turkey and TRNC. We have a strong deal on the issue of lifting embargo. The message that we took is about lifting embargo.''
When a reporter recalled that Iraqi Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) representative Necirvan Barzani said that if necessary, they would use force in response to initiatives to prevent Kurdish federation and also recalled demonstrations of some Kurdish groups in Washington, D.C., Erdogan said that these were not worthy for taking into consideration.
Asked whether or not there was a development in the United States's intervention in PKK/KADEK groups in north of Iraq, he said that important developments were expected on this issue. Erdogan noted that they expected the support of press in such national issues.
Upon a question on the level of relations between Turkey and the United States after problems which earlier stemmed from the motion, Erdogan said that a resolution was submitted for the first time to the U.S. Congress and Senate to improve relations with Turkey. Erdogan said that it was a very important development and added that latest developments were very important with regard to relations between the two countries.
Replying another question, Erdogan said that he met with Motorola representatives upon their request outside the scope of official talks.
(Öª-EÖ-AÖ) 30.01.2004