TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS (95-11-8)

From: Panayiotis Zaphiris <pzaphiri@Glue.umd.edu>

Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Directory

TURKISH PRESS

AND OTHER MEDIA

No.209/95 8.11.95

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Inal Batu on Greece's agreement with Syria and Russia

According to Kanal-6 Television (17:00 hours, 7.11.95), Inal Batu, Turkish Foreign Ministry deputy under secretary, in an interview to the channel, when asked to comment on Greece's military cooperation agreement with Cyprus and Syria, said:

"The Syrian ambassador assured us that Greek planes will not be based in Syria. The ambassador said there are no anti-Turkish aspects to this agreement. I noted his statement and advised him to display caution in Syria's relations with Greece."

On the defense cooperation agreement Greece signed with Russia, Batu said:

"They, too, are saying that this military cooperation agreement is not directed against Turkey. We hope their statements are true. We have warned them not to be taken in by Greek designs."

[02] On the Greek Cypriot students' demonstration at the Ledra Palace

All the papers today report on the protest gathering by Greek Cypriot students at the Ledra Palace check-point, demanding the release of the young national guard believed to have crossed by mistake into the occupied area and held by the occupation regime.

According to illegal Bayrak radio (16:30 hours, 7.11.95), the so-called Foreign and Defense Ministry of the pseudostate in a statement regarding the demonstration of Greek Cypriot students at the Ledra Palace check-point yesterday morning, has claimed that "these provocative actions are proof that the Greek Cypriot Administration will use any means possible to undermine the efforts to eliminate the atmosphere of distrust on the island." The statement further alleges that the Greek Cypriot students completely blocked the barricade near Ledra Palace, denied access to it to everybody, including the peace forces, and that even UN trucks travelling to the Maronite villages could not get through. It also claims that the Greek Cypriot students threw stones at Paphos Gate and wounded some workers and broke windows.

The statement continues by alleging that the Greek Cypriot side exploits every opportunity to steer the civilian population to the borders and incites them to engage in provocative actions.

[03] Scouts from Turkey to help in the reforestation of Pentadaktylos

According to KIBRIS (8.11.95), scouts from Turkey will arrive in the occupied area and take part in the reforestation work at the occupied Pentadaktylos range.

Around 500 scouts from Turkey will come and help reforest around 200 hectares of land.

The first group of scouts will arrive around the end of this month. (MY)

[04] On the "government crisis" in the pseudostate

According to VATAN and HALKIN SESI (8.11.95), following Denktash's refusal to approve the so-called cabinet reshuffle after Ozgur's resignation and the so-called coalition partner Republican Turkish Party's refusal to bow to Denktash's demands, a so-called government crisis has been created.

Both papers claim that a new "coalition" between two right-wing parties, Atun's DP and Eroglou's NUP, is in the offing and that they have even agreed on a minimum programme.

On the other hand, YENIDUZEN (8.11.95) reports that the Republican Turkish Party does not consider withdrawing from the government. (MY)

[05] So-called New York representative sends letter to Boutros Ghali

According to KIBRIS (8.11.95), the so-called New York representative of the pseudostate Osman Ertug, in a letter to the UN Secretary General Boutros Ghali has alleged that the Greek Cypriot side lacks the political will in finding a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem.

Ertug's letter was a reply to Cyprus protest at the UN regarding the "legal agreement" reached between Turkey and the pseudostate.

The letter was circulated as a Security Council and General Assembly document. (MY)