1. “Confiscation of Ocalan’s defence statements”, the book “From Sumer Monk-State to Democratic People’s Republic” including PKK President Ocalan’s defence statements to European Human Rights Court was ordered to be confiscated by a Turkish court

2. “Cyprus, or politics on the edge”, the Milliyet columnist on the Cyprus issue and recent developments concerning it.

3. “Le Soto holds contacts in Ankara”, Alvaro De Soto, UN Special Representative to Cyprus demanded political will, flexibility and readiness for compromises from both sides

4. “Moment of truth draws closer for Cyprus”, as Turkey desperately strives for full EU membership the Cyprus issue turns out to be a huge obstacle

5. “Cem's statement on Cyprus linked to domestic political considerations”, the Turkish Foreign Secretary had warned the EU, Turkey would “integrate” with occupied Northern Cyprus if the Republic of Cyprus was admitted to the Union.

6. “In Turkey, civil victory is only part of women's battle”, Turkey's government this week is expected to change civil codes to recognize women as men's equals.

7. “At least four hunger strikers die in raid”, number of dead in yearlong protest against Turkish prison conditions rises to 45.

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1. - Kurdistan Observer – “Confiscation of Ocalan’s defence statements”:

TURKEY


The book “From Sumer Monk-State to Democratic People’s Republic” including PKK President Ocalan’s defence statements to European Human Rights Court was condemned by a Turkish court and the court ruled that the book be confiscated.

The book entitled “From Sumer Monk-State to Democratic People’s Republic”, consisting of the defence statements of PKK President Abdullah Ocalan to European Human Rights Court (EHRC) was decided to be confiscated on the grounds of the claim that it “propagandise an illegal organization”.

The book in question which is published by Mem Publishing House was decided to be confiscated by a court under article 169 of the Turkish Penal Code which foresees “aiding and abetting”. Then Mem Publishing filed an objection petition. We talked with Hatice Korkut, one of Ocalan’s lawyers. Korkut said that they would use all legal ways to lift the rule, adding that by the rule the real aim is to prevent the discussion of the Kurdish problem publicly as the defence statement has caused debates.

Lawyer Korkut continued to say the following: “At the time being every type of newspapers and articles written from within the Kurdish side are facing with the threat to be confiscated. And the confiscation decision prevent them from being discussed publicly.” Korkut emphasized that confiscation rule under the claim to “propagandising an illegal organization” is contrary to the laws. Attracting attention to the fact that the articles on the Kurdish problem having the same content by journalists or other people who are close to the official view are approached differently, Korkut continued with words to the effect: “As far as that a number of discussion has been had in the past; that the book contains Ocalan’s defence statements and that it is submitted to EHRC are concerned, I think that they approach with a discriminating view. In fact Kurds face with discrimination generally.”

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2. - Milliyet – “Cyprus, or politics on the edge”:

The Cyprus issue and recent developments concerning it.

By Hasan Cemal

During the years after the World War II, Turkey paved the way for its NATO membership by sending troops to Korea. The US played a determining role in this decision. Now we are sending troops to Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks. Will the doors of the EU be opened with the support of the US? Some may believe so.

During the war against communism which lasted almost 50 years, Turkey's strategic importance increased in the West. Following the Sept.11 incidents a war against terrorism was launched. It seems that Turkey has achieved an important position as the only secular and democratic Muslim country, especially in the eyes of the US. Can the EU be affected by this? This brings the Cyprus issue to mind. Turkey does not favour the membership of the Greek-Cypriot administration to the EU before a solution is reached on the issue. If such membership is granted, not only Greece but also the Greek Cypriot administration will oppose Turkey's admittance to the EU. The European Union has made mistake on the issue.

At the Helsinki Summit, it was stated that a final solution was not required for the membership of the Greek Cypriot administration, thus putting the horse before the cart. Therefore, the Greek administration, did not feel the need to budge in negotiations with the Turkish Cypriots. As it took its EU membership for granted, it showed a reluctance for any flexibility in its stance. This policy has led to a hardened attitude on the part of TRNC President Rauf Denktas. This was not the result the EU was looking for. However, it hasn't yet changed its policy. It continues to say, 'I don't care what you say, I will admit Southern Cyprus into the Union.' As if this weren't enough, the EU is trying to put obstacles before Turkey on another issue as well. It says, "If you do not change your stances regarding Cyprus and the proposed European army, I will block the additional economic aid you need to overcome your economic crisis.' Ankara defiantly answers,' If the Greek Cypriot administration is admitted into the Union before reaching a final solution, the EU can forget stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey may integrate with the TRNC and review its relations with the Union.' The Greece's stance during these developments is interesting. It is watching the clash of the EU and Turkey from the sidelines smiling, as if it were not a party to the issue. This is a policy of tension. It can also be called crisis diplomacy, or politics on the edge. This may last until the EU summit when the final decision on the Greek Cypriot administration's admittance to the European Union will be given. The sides may occasionally repeat that their stances remain unchanged or challenge each other. This is not a pleasing prospect for either side. This process may help those who would like to exclude Turkey from the EU both within the country and Europe. This may not be a good solution for Europe as either. Therefore, it would be best for both sides to search for reasonable solutions.

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3. - Anadolu – “De Soto holds contacts in Ankara”:

ANKARA

Alvaro De Soto, the Special Representative of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to Cyprus, said on Monday that the two sides on the island should have the political will, flexibility and compromissary attitudes to reach a lasting solution.

De Soto who is currently in Ankara, met with Foreign Affairs Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal. Later, he came together with Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.

When asked of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's assessment about statements of Foreign Minister Cem and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, De Soto said, ''I cannot make any comment on behalf of United Nations Secretary General Annan. I do not think that these statements targeted the United Nations. I am paying a visit to Ankara within framework of my regional tour. I met with leaders in Cyprus, I will hold contacts in Athens tomorrow. The United Nations Security Council said that it supported Annan's good-will mission. I discussed these issues with Ziyal and Cem.''

When a journalists quoted President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as saying that De Soto did not put forward anything new, De Soto said that he preferred to keep contents of all developments secret.

Noting that they had continuous contacts with the European Union (EU) officials, De Soto told reporters that both the EU and the United Nations targeted a peaceful solution on the island.
Responding to another question, De Soto recalled that EU Commission President Romano Prodi stated earlier that efforts should be accelerated to find a solution to the Cyprus question before Greek Cypriot side's EU membership, and stressed, ''let's concentrate on this issue.''
After Foreign Minister Cem brought the Cyprus question onto agenda during the budget debates at the parliament, and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that if Greek Cypriot side becomes a member of the EU, the TRNC will be integrated with Turkey, the sides concentrated on De Soto's visit to Ankara.

De Soto who came to Ankara after paying an unexpected visit to the TRNC, informed the Turkish side on his contacts on the island.

Foreign Affairs Ministry Undersecretary Ziyal will pay a visit to the TRNC to hold contacts on the latest developments on the Cyprus question.

De Soto will proceed to Greece later in the day after wrapping up his contacts in Ankara.

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4. - Turkish Daily News – “Moment of truth draws closer for Cyprus”:

by Yusuf Kanli

When Greek Cypriot president of the time, George Vassiliou, with the encouragement of British special envoy for Cyprus Sir David Hannay and some American backing, started the EU membership application process for the eastern Mediterranean island, the view in both Washington and Brussels was that the development would be a catalyst for a Cyprus settlement.
After all, the Turks were dying to become members of the EU and on the path to membership Ankara would compromise more easily on the Cyprus problem than otherwise. Furthermore, did not the Turkish prime minister of the time, Tansu Ciller, and her deputy, Murat Karayalcin agree not to object to the Greek Cypriot membership application in exchange for "granting" Turkey a customs union agreement?

EU bid a miscalculation

That was the first miscalculation, but not the last one, of Sir David and supporters of the perception that bringing an EU dimension would help a Cyprus settlement.
To start with, the EU application was made unilaterally by the Greek Cypriot side. That was a development that destroyed the foundations of the U.N.-sponsored talks on the island and forced the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey take retaliatory steps.

The statements from Ankara and northern Cyprus at the time stressed one theme: The more the Greek Cypriots proceeded on the path towards achieving union with Greece through the EU door, the more northern Cyprus would integrate with Turkey.

Thus, the EU Commission decided to process the Greek Cypriot bid, and the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey signed an association protocol. The Greek Cypriots were declared by the European Union as the sole legal authority and negotiating partner on Cyprus, and Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots signed the Ankara declaration and took further steps towards economic and political integration. Through the years, the Greek Cypriots have moved closer to the EU -- and Greece -- while the Turkish Cypriots have moved closer to Turkey.

Meeting with Denktas at Troutbeck, Switzerland, although not publicly, Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides acknowledged that he was not representing the Turkish Cypriot people (but was not a fool to say it publicly as the world recognized him as such). Clerides' remarks provided a glimmer of hope that there might be a progress towards the acknowledgement of the realities of Cyprus and thus opening the way to a settlement, but the EU felt obliged to declare Cyprus fit for membership while discarding Turkey's membership hopes, landing that process in a dead-end once again. This story goes on and on with dozens of examples.

Provocation continues

Most recently, just before the United Nations dispatched Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special Cyprus envoy Alvaro de Soto to Cyprus with the task of reviving the Cyprus proximity talks process, which were deadlocked a year ago with yet another nasty decision of the EU, Romano Prodi, the head of the EU Commission and Rapporteur Jacques Poos traveled to southern Cyprus one after the other and declared publicly that with or without a settlement on the island Cyprus would be the first to be admitted into the EU in the new wave of enlargement.

Cem wakes up

Prodi and Poos' remarks, as well as pressure on Turkey to compromise on Cyprus or forget EU accession and statements from Brussels that the most important issue hampering Turkey's EU bid was not its poor economy, human rights woes or malfunctioning democracy, but the Cyprus problem with Greece, forced Foreign Minister Ismail Cem to wake up from a platonic love affair with Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou and declare that Turkey may soon be compelled to make a "costly decision" on Cyprus.

The time of playing sirtaki and toasting ouzo was over.
Cem's message was clear, but a day later Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit brought further clarification and for the first time ever mentioned that Turkey could consider annexing northern Cyprus if the Greek Cypriots become full EU members.

What has changed?

Until a few months ago, when Poos, in his report, mentioned Turkey's intention of annexing northern Cyprus, Ankara was infuriated, although stopped short of ruling out annexation in a terse statement that condemned Poos and his report for being pro-Greek. At the time, top government officials had told deep background briefings that Turkey did not want to annex northern Cyprus, but would not issue a denial to Poos' claim, maybe because Turkey felt it would be in its best interest to keep the EU scared of such a possibility.

Now, is Turkey bluffing? Was Ecevit's remark that Ankara could annex northern Cyprus just a slip of the tongue by an elderly statesman? Or is Ankara trying to open a new negotiations process and before that increasing the stakes?

Is it a bluff?

First of all, Turkey cannot bluff on Cyprus because if one day southern Cyprus becomes a full member of the EU and Turkey that day was still out of the EU, no Turkish government could keep Turkey on the EU membership track, nor could it abandon the Turkish Cypriots to the mercy of the Greek Cypriots and withdraw from northern Cyprus just for the sake of not becoming a state occupying an EU territory. Under such circumstances what Turkey would do is clear and indeed that was what was expressed by Cem and Ecevit, as well as Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli.

Ecevits' remark, although we have become accustomed to the veteran leader's confusion of holidays, cannot be a slip of the tongue either, because the Ecevit we know says something on such sensitive issues after calculating it a hundred times.

But Ankara may be trying to open a new negotiations process based on the realities of Cyprus and between the five parties of the Cyprus issue -- Turkey, Greece, Britain and both sides of Cyprus, the five parties that had signed the agreements of the establishment of the 1960 Cyprus Republic.

Back to 1960 terms

For a long time, behind closed doors, Turkish officials have been stating that Greece and the Greek Cypriots must come to one point: Are the 1960 agreements in force? If they are still in force, than any settlement must be based on the "political equality" and "partnership in sovereignty" of the two peoples of the island. If the 1960 treaties are no longer valid, any approach to the Cyprus problem must be based on the situation in late 1950s. After all, the establishment of a republic or a double enosis (dividing Cyprus into two and uniting one part with Greece and the other with Turkey) were the two options discussed at that time.

Furthermore, if the Greek Cypriots join the EU, such a development would mean the union of southern Cyprus with Greece under the EU umbrella and thus would open the way for the union of northern Cyprus with Turkey... That is, the double enosis thesis of the late 1950s would be fulfilled.

Would such a development place Turkey off-track from the EU path? Sure, but the EU was hesitant anyway of accepting Muslim Turkey in the Christian club.

That is, by taking such a bold step in Cyprus Turkey would not lose much, or would not lose anything that it already possessed or would possess in the foreseeable future.

Are the Greek Cypriots prepared for permanent partition?

The real question, therefore, is whether the Greek Cypriots, Greece and the EU are prepared to go ahead with the accession process at the cost of permanently dividing Cyprus into two.
In its lead editorial, the Sunday Mail, the Sunday edition of the prestigious Cyprus Mail English language newspaper of southern Cyprus, wrote about the same issue.

Here is an extensive excerpt from that article without any comment:

"A settlement might not be a precondition, but failure to reach one by the time Cyprus is due to join could cause several EU member-states to raise objections to the island's accession. Top officials of several member-countries have in the past stated that it would be unwise for Cyprus to join before there is a settlement, thus suggesting that nothing is clear-cut.

"For the time being, the EU refuses to hand Turkey yet another tactical advantage by making Cyprus' accession conditional on a settlement -- in this way, by refusing to negotiate, the Turkish side would be rewarded with the ability to block Cyprus' accession to the EU. Not that the Turkish side ever required an additional incentive to stay away from negotiations, but giving Ankara what would amount to a say over whether Cyprus could join the union would have been absurd. Brussels' refusal to hand this advantage to Ankara has provoked a host of threats by Turkish politicians who have gone as far as to claim, quite ludicrously, that regional stability would be threatened by Cyprus's accession to the EU.

"To counter these threats, EU officials, supported by a host of Cyprus mediators, have been trying to use the prospect of membership to make an eventual settlement more attractive to the Turkish Cypriots. But Rauf Denktas has flatly refused President Glafcos Clerides' invitation for Turkish Cypriots to join the island's negotiating team. While ordinary Turkish Cypriots see the many benefits they would have -- especially after years of unrelenting economic hardship -- their leadership and Ankara see membership for as anathema. Both Denktas and Ankara have made it abundantly clear that they would never agree to Cyprus joining a grouping of countries of which Greece is a member but Turkey is not.

"While this seems rather convoluted, there is one logical conclusion to be drawn -- a Cyprus settlement and EU membership are mutually exclusive, despite the wishful thinking of perennially optimistic foreign envoys. Official thinking in Cyprus is that, just before membership agreements are signed -- at the end of next year according to Prodi -- there would be intense pressure from the United States and the EU for a settlement. Some have gone as far as to suggest that a settlement would be imposed, with minimal time given to negotiations. This is what the Athens government expects as well. The reasoning is that Turkey, in order to exact maximum advantage in its own dealings with the EU, will refuse to play ball with regard to a Cyprus settlement until the eleventh hour. Then it could ensure that most, if not all, of its demands in its dealings with the EU and regarding its own membership would be met.

"Such reasoning is based on the assumption that Turkey is eager to become an EU member as well, which is highly questionable despite Ankara's rhetoric... Then there is the EU to consider as well: would its member countries ever want Turkey to join the union? Special co-operation agreements and customs union between the EU and Turkey are one thing, but full membership does not look like a prospect existing members would exactly relish. In this context, it is rather optimistic to expect that conditions will be conducive to a Cyprus settlement as we approach the signing of a full membership agreement.

"Of course it is all a matter of interpretation. If by settlement we mean the partition of Cyprus along today's dividing line, then it is a possibility as EU accession draws closer, but this is not the solution Greek Cypriots have in mind. For our government and our political parties, in contrast with the Turkish side, partition is not on the agenda; their objective is the reunification of the island, respect for the three basic freedoms and so forth. Not that there are any real grounds to justify such optimism, but our politicians could never be accused of being pragmatists.

"But time is running out, and before long we will have to make some exceedingly difficult choices. Would we be prepared to sign over 40 percent of Cyprus to Turkey for the sake of EU membership, or will we decide not to enter the EU in the unrealistic hope that some day we will reach an agreement with the Turks? Either way, Turkey wins. But rather than give serious thought to this abhorrent dilemma on the horizon we prefer to celebrate because Romano Prodi said that a settlement 'is not a precondition for accession'."

That is what the lead editorial of the Sunday Mail said. Turks may appear the losers of the day, but the celebrations of the Greeks may be short-lived.

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5. - Turkish Daily News – “Cem's statement on Cyprus linked to domestic political considerations”:

by Lale Sariibrahimoglu

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem's strong statement on Cyprus has dropped like a bomb in the middle of Turkey's capital Ankara on Friday, November 2, with some papers declaring it as a historic remark.
In particular diplomats from the European Union (EU) to which Turkey is a candidate member country as well as diplomats from the U.S. embassy have sought appointments from their Turkish colleagues to understand the reason for the timing of Cems statement though there has not been anything new at least on public record apart from what has been known on Turkey's Cyprus policies.


Minister of State in Charge of Cyprus affairs Prof. Sukru Sina Gurel, who has been at odds with Cem over the Cyprus issue, told the press in November, that there has been nothing new in Cem's statement: "What Cem said was the known and the publicly declared policy of the Turkish government. We have been saying openly and with great determination that if the Greek Cypriots are admitted to the EU, the division of the island will be deepened," Gurel recalled.
The EU plans to admit the Greek Cypriot administration as a full member by the year 2003 even if there is no solution on the island divided between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities. The Turkish Cypriot section is recognized as a state only by Ankara.

Answering TDN's questions Gurel, however, kept his optimism and said it would be very hard for the EU to admit Greek Cypriots to the union before a settlement on Cyprus.
Gurel and Rauf Denktas, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) are regarded as the Hawks while Cem has rather been described as a Dove. Addressing Parliament's Plan and Budget Commission on Friday November 2, debating the foreign ministry budget, Cem said Turkey may soon be compelled to take a "costly decision" on Cyprus.

Even if Turkey should pay a cost it has to make a definite decision on Cyprus if the Greek Cypriots are admitted to the EU, said Cem.

"If the Greek Cypriots are admitted to the EU we will retaliate by launching the economic and political integration with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC)," Cem warned during the same speech.

Cem's surprisingly strong statement on Cyprus came amid intensified traffic by both U.S. Special Representative on Cyprus Tom Weston as well as Alvaro De Soto, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, being conducted both to the island as well as to Ankara, and Athens.

The main theme of those visits are to convince and to find a common ground to bring back Denktas to the negotiating table with his Greek counterpart Glafkos Klerides. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has been under mounting pressure from the U.S and the EU concerning the Cyprus situation.

The United Nations-sponsored peace talks, in an attempt to find a solution to the decades long problem of Cyprus which have taken place five times between the two communities, stopped last November when the KKTC was denied equal status with the Greek Cypriots as a result of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan stepping back from his earlier decision in this respect.