Gul: Unless Turkey Becomes A Full Member Of E.U., Many Parts Of Annan Plan Will Not Work

ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday that there was connection between solution in Cyprus and Turkey's full membership to the European Union (EU) and stated that unless Turkey became a full member of the EU, many parts of Annan plan would not work.
Parliamentary General Assembly started preliminary talks on Cyprus issue after the Republican People's Party (CHP) submitted a motion to hold a general debate on the issue.
Gul delivered a speech on behalf of the government in the general assembly and stated that final document would come out as a result of negotiations which would be held in Cyprus. ''Cyprus is a national cause. The issue which drove us to take political will for a solution to the Cyprus issue this year is Greek Cypriot side's accession to the EU alone and the problem which will stem from it. One problem is assimilation of Turkish citizens in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). This is presented by Simitis as 'Enosis'. The others are issues which will appear with regard to Turkish-EU relations.''
Stating that when the ministry carried out those work, it had continuos consultations, Gul said that they had consultations with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok when talks continued in New York and important decisions were taken. He said that they were continuously informed about developments in New York, adding that instructions were given to the delegation and meetings ended in that way.
''Things are not over yet, difficult side of the issue will start on the island,'' Gul said and stated that whether or not acceptable changes would be made in the plan would become clear during that period.
Stating that TRNC President Rauf Denktas played a historical role, Gul said that Denktas considered both TRNC and Turkey and acted with great responsibility. Gul said that Denktas surprised Greek Cypriot side and international community.
''If the guarantees are consolidated and situation in borders are improved, peace will be lasting. All sides should want a lasting peace. A joint state will emerge finally. The most important thing is reaching a honorary and satisfactory result and both sides' recognition of the result. The most important thing is two sides' preparing a text as a result of compromise and their peoples' accepting it. Everything will be achieved under the best conditions. In that case, Eastern Mediterranean will become a region of co-operation, solidarity and common interests instead of hostilities and clashes,'' he stressed.
Referring to connection between efforts of finding a solution to the Cyprus issue and Turkey's EU membership, Gul said, ''many parts of the plan envisage Turkey's relations with the EU and Turkey's full membership to the EU. If Turkey cannot become a full member of the EU, many aspects of the plan will not work. Therefore, there is such a connection. Everyone should act carefully to this end.''
''Those who consider insolubility a solution should think now: If an agreement is not reached, will the schedule work against or in favor of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot people? We should assess it carefully. If they say that Turkish Cypriot people will further strengthen and Turkey will have a better position 5-10 years after, then we prefer disagreement. However, when you look at the history, you will see that this is not possible. Also, I want to stress that it does not mean that we will accept everything,'' he said.
Gul added, ''there is a fact we should remember. The Greek Cypriot side will become a member of the EU. We should also well-assess the TRNC society. We should assess our deficiencies. Have the former governments and we fulfilled our responsibilities in the last three decades? Could we manage to form a society that would resist till the end? Please, take a decision after assessing all these. If a plan, that does not satisfy us, emerges, we have the opportunity of rejecting it in referendum and in the parliament.''
GUL: ''NEW SOLUTION SHOULD NOT LEAD TO NEW PROBLEMS AND TENSIONS''
Gul said, ''as you know, the Cyprus issue is our national case. Protection of Turkish Cypriot people's interests are the joint target of everyone. Therefore, Turkey has always preferred a fair, lasting, comprehensive and sustainable solution. Turkey has expended all kinds of efforts to provide Turkish Cypriot people with peaceful and prosperous atmosphere, to protect their national and religious identity and to preserve their ties with Turkey. We will continue to do so in the future. We have not refrained from any sacrifices to this end so far. Our main target is to protect rights, security and prosperity of Turkish Cypriot people. This is a political, legal and moral responsibility for all of us.''
''Since the day we have come to the political power, we have been expending efforts to find a fair, lasting and comprehensive solution and to put an end to political and economic pressures on Turkish Cypriot people. We have held perpetual talks with President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the TRNC government during this period. Some developments in the European Union (EU) has made 2004 an important and determinative year for Cyprus,'' he said.
Gul gave detailed information about the process which started with the unilateral application of the Greek Cypriot side to the EU.
''The Greek Cypriot side's becoming a member of the EU will inevitably have negative impacts on both the Cyprus issue and Turkey-EU relations. First of all, the Greek Cypriot side will seek for ways to resolve the Cyprus issue in line with their own thesis and to destroy the Turkish Cypriot people in the EU. This is the real danger,'' he said.
Gul noted, ''as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have carried out serious works since we are aware that 2004 is a critical year. We assessed the alternatives and discussed negativities. When the Greek Cypriot side which we do not recognize, becomes a full member of the EU, we will have to set up relations with it. We will either give up all our expectations about the EU or maintain our relations with the EU. One day, the Greek Cypriot side will preside meetings, Greek Cypriots will head the EU delegations visiting Turkey, and Turkish and Greek Cypriot soldiers will work together in the European Security and Defense Policy. These developments would lead unbelievable problems. On the other hand, the Turkish Cypriot people want to join the EU. During the latest elections in the TRNC, we all saw that the issue was brought onto agenda and people supported it.''
Gul said that Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis had summarized the situation by saying that they finally achieved Enosis (union with Greece). Gul said, ''Enosis might have happened differently twenty years ago and it may happen differently today. Today's form of it is the Greek Cypriot side's joining the EU as if it were the representative of whole Cyprus and its doing everything to eradicate Turks.''
Gul said that they thought that a Cyprus to which the Turkish Cypriot side would be an equal partner under a new partnership would be beneficial to both Turkey and the EU.
Noting that Turkish Cypriot people's painful experiences should be remembered during efforts to reach a solution, Gul said, ''solution should not cause new problems and tensions. An environment where Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots live safely in peace should be provided. There are two different democratic orders and administrations and two different peoples who believe in different religions and speak different languages. So solution should be based on a new partnership protecting bi-zonal structure and equal status of the sides.''
Regarding the Turkish side's proposals for changes in plan, Gul said: ''Affirmation of existence of two separate but equal sides in the island and consolidation of bi-zonal structure. So return of Greek Cypriots to the north in less number than it is envisaged in the plan. Reflection of the solution's factor of bi-zonal structure and two separate peoples in the political structure of the partnership to be founded and in its decision-making mechanisms; that is, making the bi-zonal structure definite. Decrease in restrictions on the Turkish military existence in the island and de facto continuation of Turkey's guarantor state rights. Making the zigzag map which was offered by the United Nations more smooth in a way that prevents more Turkish Cypriots' leaving their home.''
Gul said that it was reiterated many times that insolubility in Cyprus would not be a solution.
Stating that when the government shaped up initiatives for resumption of negotiations, it determined factors which would be included in the plan by being aware of the issue that Cyprus issue was a national cause, Gul said that Greek Cypriot side tried to make Turkish Cypriot side escape from the table and Greek Cypriot side also had expectation that TRNC President Rauf Denktas could give trump to itself. ''In response to this attitude, Denktas expressed Turkish Cypriot side's views on changes in the plan in a constructive way,'' he added.
Concerning the issue that if the sides could not reach a compromise on issues in the plan, U.N. Secretary General Annan would fill in the blanks, Gul said, ''if we believe in democracy, it will take place in that way. If TRNC people say that they are not satisfied with the plan, then they will reject it with referendum. If they are satisfied with it, they will accept it. It will not finish here, the final say will belong to Turkish parliament and Greek parliament.''
Gul said that Turkish parliament would have the final say concerning mentioned agreements in accordance with the Constitution and noted that the parliament always made historical decisions on Cyprus issue.
Stating that the government acted with responsibility and conscious, Gul said that there would be a viable partnership from which both sides would have benefits for a lasting peace and solution in Cyprus. He added that negotiations would be made for it and a final document would come out as a result of negotiations.

(UK-MS-EÖ-AÖ) 17.02.2004