Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 99-03-06

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Saturday, March 06, 1999

Denktash 'hysteria' over Ocalan

TURKISH Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash made the front page of some dailies with his tough talking on the Cyprus situation.

'Hysteria' was the headline Politis chose for its reporting of Denktash's comments that the Greek side would "regret" it if it did not accept a two- state settlement.

The paper suggested Denktash was trying to get as much mileage out of the Ocalan affair as he could by using Turkish allegations that the government was harbouring Kurdish rebels as an excuse for closing the door on talks.

Phileleftheros reported that Denktash had gone further, informing foreign diplomats who had spoken with him recently that even a confederation settlement was now out of the question.

The paper added that the veteran Turkish Cypriot leader was considering retiring from politics within the year.

Simerini stated that Turkish provocations were escalating "dangerously". The paper said it had "reliable information" that the Greek army command had been on alert over the past 48 hours in expectation of some sort of provocation from the Turks.

Turkish fighter jets had flown close to the eastern coast of Crete, where the S-300s are to be deployed, the paper reported.

Almost all the papers also gave extensive coverage to President Clerides' insistence that it was ridiculous to maintain that the Greek Cypriot side bore none of the blame for the Cyprus problem.

The President was responding to criticism from House president Spyros Kyprianou, who, commenting on statements made by Clerides earlier in the week, said he could not see how Clerides could be Cyprus's negotiator in settlement talks if he believed our side was to blame for the current situation.

"It is ridiculous for us to claim that there were no mistakes made by our side. Of course there were," Alithia quoted Clerides as saying.

Machi reported that embattled Interior Minister Dinos Michaelides was considering setting up his own political party.

Michaelides, the subject for a watchdog committee corruption probe, said he and other Diko rebels had been considering setting up their own party ever since they abandoned Spyros Kyprianou's Diko more than a year ago.

Michaelides said no more, the paper stated, but it was obvious that a new party was now on the cards.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1999

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