Gul Informs Parliamentary General Assembly On Recent Developments About Cyprus

ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said, ''the Greek Cypriot side displayed an intransigent attitude during the four-party talks in Switzerland. We could have stop all these things there. However, we decided that continuation of talks will be more appropriate since we thought about future of the Turkish Cypriots.''
Gul informed the Parliamentary General Assembly on recent developments about the Cyprus issue and the final shape of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan.
Stressing that an issue of historical importance like Cyprus should be assessed with common-sense, Gul said, ''everyone has an important responsibility to this end. When we came to the political power in 2002, it was impossible to stop the Greek Cypriot side's becoming a full member of the European Union (EU) on behalf of the whole island as of May 1, 2004. When Turkey and the EU signed the Customs Union agreement in 1995, the Greek Cypriot side's EU full membership process was accepted in return for Turkey's membership to the Customs Union. The Republican People's Party (CHP) was a partner of the coalition government in those days.''
CHP leader Deniz Baykal opposed to Gul's statement. When Baykal said, ''the CHP did not have any legal ties with the government of the period,'' Gul responded him, ''Mr. Baykal, was not the CHP a partner of the coalition government of those years? Who was the foreign minister of the period?''
Both Baykal and CHP deputies reacted to Gul's statement.
Later, Gul said, ''the second important date on the Cyprus issue was the year of 1999. The government led by Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit approved the Greek Cypriot side's EU full membership process as Turkey's candidacy to the EU was announced.''
''When we came to the political power, we came face to face with the fact that the Greek Cypriot side was about to become a full member of the EU on behalf of Cyprus. When the Greek Cypriot side becomes a full member of the EU unilaterally, its membership will cause many problems in Turkey's EU membership process. It will also cause the Turkish Cypriots to experience a much more difficult period. Our government took action after deciding that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will weaken against the Greek Cypriot side. First, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs carried out detailed works in co-operation with the other relevant institutions of the state. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Staff worked together. At last, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to resume the negotiation process in the island,'' he said.
Recalling that United Nations Secretary General Annan had invited leaders of the both sides in the island to New York, the United States, Gul said, ''Turkey and the TRNC overcame the deadlock together. During the talks in New York, the sides decided to maintain talks in Cyprus. However, they could agree only on the flag and anthem of the new Cyprus Republic during the 15-day talks. Because of the Greek Cypriot side's intransigent attitude, the sides failed to reach a compromise. Later, four-party talks started in Switzerland on March 24 with the participation of Turkey and Greece. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs delegation and representative of the General Staff attended the talks. Although President Rauf Denktas of TRNC did not attend the meetings, TRNC Presidential Undersecretary Ergun Olgun attended the talks. And, TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, and TRNC Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas were given full authority. We aimed to reach a compromise and make some changes in the Annan Plan. We have given priority to strengthen the bi-zonal structure of the island, to consolidate guarantees, to decrease number of Greek Cypriots who will go to the Turkish Cypriot side, to provide equality on the level of institutions and to make the map straight,'' he said.
Referring to the four-party talks in Switzerland, Gul said, ''we held tough talks in Switzerland. Our delegation exerted great efforts. All opportunities of the diplomacy were used to get a result. Prior to the four-party talks in Switzerland, Turkey launched intense initiatives in the United nations, the United States and Britain. Turkey explained its thesis and asked their support to put these theses into practice. However, the Greek Cypriot side displayed an intransigent attitude during the four-party talks. The Greek Cypriot side sought for ways to leave the negotiating table. On the contrary, the Turkish side concentrated on its priorities to reach an agreement. We explained these priorities to everyone. In the end, a compromise could not be reached. The Greek Cypriot side made both secret and clear proposals to stop everything in Switzerland. We could have stop all these things there. However, we decided that continuation of talks will be more appropriate since we thought about future of the Turkish Cypriots.''
''The only target of the Greek Cypriot side is to become a full member of the EU on May 1. They believe that they will feel relieved after becoming a full member of the EU. However, Turkish and TRNC delegations did not enable them to do so with their joint decision,'' he said.
Gul added, ''in the end, some changes were made in the Annan Plan. All these changes will lead formation of a new United Cyprus Republic.''
Gul also gave information about formation of the United Cyprus Republic.
Gul said, ''citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will give the final decision in the end. We will respect for their decision> since it was accepted in the beginning. The most important thing is to hold the referendum in a clear, transparent and appropriate atmosphere.''
''If TRNC citizens say 'yes' to the Annan Plan, our parliament will have some responsibilities. The parliament will debate the issue once again in that case. It is a preference to maintain the current status quo like former governments did. If we develop such a policy, can we introduce the TRNC to the world. First of all, the Greek Cypriot side will have become a member of the EU, and we will have been maintaining the status quo. We all want recognition of the TRNC as an independent state. Unfortunately, it could not come true under appropriate conditions. Neither one of Turkish Republics in Central Asia nor any Muslim country did not recognize the TRNC. Therefore, I think that recognition of the TRNC as an independent state is not realistic. Secondly, the TRNC can be annexed to Turkey. But I do not consider it realistic either. Because such a development will change many balances in the world. Also, we can think about continuation of current situation. However, in the current status quo, there are embargoes. There have been about 40 thousand Turkish soldiers in the island. However, we could not lead the world to lift the embargoes so far,'' he stressed.
Gul noted, ''when the Annan Plan is put into practice, of course, some difficulties will emerge. I say clearly that it is not that easy. Therefore, everyone should think carefully about being a citizen of both the United Cyprus Republic and the Turkish Cypriot State. We all have responsibilities to this end. Everyone should assess the Annan Plan, which was given its final shape, and the Cyprus issue in a realistic and imperturbable way without consideration of their political parties. We decided that the Turkish Cypriots will have better living conditions in the Turkish Cypriot State envisaged in the Annan Plan. The Turkish Cypriots will make their final decision in the end. We all will respect for their decision.''
Gul has said, ''the latest plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has clearly put forward that bi-zonality will continue in the new partnership to be founded in Cyprus. One of the side's becoming dominant over the other was rejected. According to the plan, relationship between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots is not one of majority and minority, but of political equality.''
Gul said, ''the latest plan of United Nations Secretary General Annan has clearly put forward that bi-zonality will continue in the new partnership to be founded in Cyprus. Distinct identity and integrity of the two sides will be recognized. The sides will respect for each other's cultural, religious, political, social and linguistic identities. One of the sides' efforts to become dominant over the other will be renounced. One of the sides will not be able to claim authority and jurisdiction over the other.''
''We insisted on the issue of sovereignty. It could pave the way for independence in the future. However, we could not fully get what we wanted about the issue of sovereignty since the real target of the plan was to preserve the United Cyprus Republic. But the Greek Cypriot side has lost its sovereignty recognized by the world. It means to say that the Turkish Cypriot side will not be able to claim authority over the Greek Cypriot side, and the Greek Cypriot side will not be able to claim authority over the Turkish Cypriot side.''
Gul stressed that the constituent states would have their own constitutions, territorial boundaries, flags and national anthems.
Noting that both sides would respect for each other's identities, securities and constitutional orders, Gul said, ''constituent states and the federal government will not intervene in each others' authorities and functions. Turkish Cypriot State will be shown in the new map by name. A new border will be demarcated between the two constituent states. Hierarchy will not be required between laws of the federal state and the constituent states. Constituent states will be able to give up citizenship. A person cannot become citizen of both constituent states at the same time. If a person takes Turkish Cypriot citizenship, he will lose Greek Cypriot citizenship. It will decrease Greek Cypriots' migration to the Turkish Cypriot side. We estimate that the rate of Greek Cypriots migrating to the Turkish Cypriot side will not reach to 18 percent.''
''Constituent states will be able to restrict residence of citizens of each other to preserve their own national identities. Those to be elected from the Turkish Cypriot State as members of the Senate, will be of Turkish Cypriot nationality. Constituent states will be able to set up commercial and cultural relations with the rest of the world and to sign agreements. Constituent states will have authority of primary judicial proceeding about crimes against federal laws,'' he said.
Gul noted, ''constituent states will have separate police organizations. The Annan Plan clearly stressed that Cyprus is the common home of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. It recognized that Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots are co-founders of the Republic. Under the plan, Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots will form the new system by using their separate inherent constitutive powers. Relationship between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots is not one of majority and minority, but of political equality. The population of the Turkish Cypriot side is about 220 thousand, and the Greek Cypriot side has a population of nearly 700 thousand. But there are political equality between them.''
''One of our most serious concerns is that: If the Greek Cypriot side becomes a full member of the EU unilaterally, it will call on the Turkish Cypriots to join them. In that case, the Turkish Cypriots will enter the EU not as a separate state, but a minority. Therefore, the Greek Cypriot side has still been insisting on not to sign the plan,'' he said.
Gul noted that ambassadors in ten important countries would be shared between the two states.
Noting that the special relations between Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots would continue, Gul added, ''the Turkish Cypriot State will be able to set up financial, economic, commercial and cultural relations, and sign agreements with Turkey, and open bureaus in Turkey.''
(UK-AÖ) 06.04.2004