Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 99-05-09

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Cyprus soccer cup - APOEL

[02] Dutch professor - Turkey - Cyprus - EU

[03] Greek and Turkish Cypriot trade unionists - Forum

0930:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Cyprus soccer cup - APOEL

This is the 17th Cup won by the blue-and-yellow APOEL, which was founded in 1926.

The Nicosia club won the Championship 16 times and the Super Cup five times.

The refugee club of Anorthosis founded in 1911 in Famagusta, occupied by Turkish troops since 1974, won the Championship ten times.

The blue-and-white club won the Cup seven times and the Super Cup twice. CNA/GP/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1250:CYPPRESS:02

[02] Dutch professor - Turkey - Cyprus - EU

Nicosia, May 9 (CNA) -- Turkey's diminished interest in Europe renders any moves by Ankara to make concessions on Cyprus highly unlikely, especially in view of the fact that Europe, having achieved its economic objectives in Turkey through the customs union, is not too keen on having a huge Islamic country join its ranks.

This is the assessment of Dutch professor Erik Zurcher, chairman of the Turkish Studies at the University of Leiden, who also points out that Turkey feels very secure with its relationship with the US in the knowledge that it will always have Washington's backing.

The professor, who was in Cyprus recently for a symposium on Turkey, believes that Turkey's current political leadership is prepared to take more risks in its foreign policy, as any repercussions on its ties with Europe seem irrelevant.

Zurcher also thinks that Turkey's domestic agenda tops the bill of the country's priorities and has no interest in seeing its borders expand.

In an interview with CNA, professor Zurcher said "the opportunities of the new Turkish government making major concessions just to solve the Cyprus problem are nil, zero."

Cyprus, he explained, is not a pressing problem for Turkey, which is convinced that the European Union effectively blocked its membership because of the country's Islamic features and not because of Cyprus or other considerations.

Invited to explain Ankara's continuous threats against Cyprus, he said "Turkey feels very secure with its relationship with the US, which will back them up whatever happens and Turkey is now at its peak strike militarily."

Turkey, he added, flexes its muscles to guarantee its own national interests, which are suppressing Kurdish nationalism and the Islamists and to bring inflation down.

He said the question of Cyprus is "simply one more card to play domestically, especially now when an incredibly nationalistic atmosphere prevails in the country."

Referring to Turkey's shaky relations with the EU, he chastised the Union for its support to the opponents of Islamic fundamentalism, a position which, in his view, has fanned the flames of confrontation in Turkey.

"Turkey has lost its strategic security value to a large extent as far as Europe is concerned because for Europe the main guarantee of its future stability and security is enlargement towards Central and Eastern Europe."

However, the professor said EU enthusiasm for enlargement has diminished enormously now that it realises the economic cost it will have to bear once former Eastern and Central European countries join its ranks.

He believes Turkey's overconcentration on Europe in the past few years has prevented the country from tending to its ties with the Balkans, the Black Sea and its neighbours.

He said Ankara could make a move on Cyprus if the EU improves its ties with Turkey but even that would depend on what the US does or thinks.

"The only kind of pressure that could be effective in the short run in Ankara is American pressure, if the US puts really serious pressure on Turkey, that might get things moving," he said.

Turkey for the US has regained all its security value whereas for Europe it has not, he added.

Professor Zurcher said Turkey's foreign policy is now more risky, something witnessed recently in its threats to wage war against Syria over the latter's support of the Kurdish cause, its war of words with Greece and its strong desire to engage its troops in the Gulf war, which was overruled by the military.

The politicians now call the shots in foreign policy, he said. He also said he considers it unlikely to see any change in Turkey's borders with the chances of losing Kurdish provinces to an independent Kurdish state very small.

CNA MM/MA/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1320:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Greek and Turkish Cypriot trade unionists - Forum

Nicosia, May 9 (CNA) -- Greek and Turkish Cypriot trade unionists believe that the work done during their meetings will benefit the people of the island when the political problem is solved and a federation is established.

In an interview with CNA, representatives of the two major trade unions on both sides of the divide, expressed certainty that the 3rd All Cyprus Trade Union Forum scheduled for later this month will take place despite problems raised by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

"Probably other associations are not pressing enough," Turkish Cypriot TURK-SEN representative Nihat Elmaz told CNA, adding that "it seems we take things more seriously".

Elmaz appeared pessimistic that the two-day Forum will be held in the occupied areas of Cyprus the first day and in the government-controlled areas the next day, a practice followed during the previous two meetings.

However, he said that Denktash is not expected to pose problems if the Forum takes place at the UN-controlled Ledra Palace hotel, in the Nicosia buffer zone, May 28 and 29.

Sixteen Greek and Turkish Cypriot trade unions participate in the Forum, but only six of them make up the coordinating committee set up in 1994.

Greek Cypriot civil servants' trade union PASIDI representative, Kyriacos Andreou, said that "until the last minute" nobody can be sure that barriers will not be raised by Denktash.

Denktash has been posing problems to Turkish Cypriot participation in most bicommunal events since December 1997, in reaction to a European Union (EU) reconfirmation that it would open accession talks with the Cyprus Republic.

Talks for Cyprus' EU accession opened in March last year, but the Turkish Cypriot leader continues to oppose accession despite the fact that a number of Turkish Cypriots back it.

The Turkish Cypriot trade unions support the island's accession, after a settlement is reached, and back UN resolutions calling for the establishment of a federation.

In the past year Denktash has also been opposing a federal solution and proposed the setting-up of a "confederation of two states", a demand rejected by the Cyprus government, the UN and all key-players in efforts for a settlement here.

"We agree in principle that Cyprus should join the EU, full stop," Elmaz told CNA, noting that "it will also be to the Turkish Cypriots' advantage to join the EU."

However, he clarified that contrary to their Greek Cypriot colleagues, the Turkish Cypriot trade unionists believe EU accession should be realised "after a solution is found".

Elmaz also said "we still support federation" as outlined in the declarations issued by the two previous forums, held January 1995 and March 1997.

The declaration issued in January 1995 says that "the settlement of the Cyprus problem must be based on a federal, democratic system, the high level agreements and the relevant resolutions of the UN" and similar wording is used in the second declaration.

Two high-level agreements reached by the two sides in 1977 and 1979 stipulate for the establishment of a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

Referring to the Forum discussions, Andreou said "we are now entering the substance".

He added that the principles of a joint social insurance system already agreed, will be put forward for approval.

This year's Forum will also examine the previous two declarations as well as ways to build trust between the two communities.

"We are paving the way so that the situation is easier for both the workers and the people at large when a settlement is reached," Andreou said.

He added that "we have much in common, so we leave our differences aside and work on what brings us together."

The Greek Cypriot trade unionist said there is full transparency and trust within the Forum coordinating committee and pointed out that they have found "a common language."

His Turkish Cypriot colleague echoed his words and called on all other Cypriot organisations (teachers, industrialists, employees) to embark on meetings aiming at restoring trust between the two communities.

Elmaz pointed out that for trust to be restored "we have to have a transitional period."

"This is what we are trying to do," he concluded. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37 per cent of the island's territory.

CNA AA/MA/EC/1999

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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