Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media (95-12-7)

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

Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Directory

TURKISH PRESS

AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 230/95 7/12/95

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[A] News Items

[01] Denktash puts forward new conditions for the resumption of talks

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (6/12/95, 18:30 hours), the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has said that in order to resume the intercommunal talks, President Clerides should withdraw the preconditions he has put regarding the EU.

Denktash today had a meeting with US Presidential envoy Richard Beattie. During the meeting, which continued over lunch, Denktash said that all the existing problems were discussed.

Denktash alleged that the whole issue was the interruption of the intercommunal talks by President Clerides. Explaining how the intercommunal talks were cut off, Denktash gave the example of President Clerides' precondition of the EU, as he put it.

Denktash said that during the meeting he had expressed the concern of the Turkish side regarding the EU membership. "If they find a formula that satisfies our concerns, then the regotiations can start", he added.

Asked to comment on the Government Spokesman Mr Cassoulides' call for a speedy solution prior to entry into the EU, Denktash said: "This is our view".

Denktash also reiterated his view that first a solution should be reached in Cyprus and then the EU membership issue could be discussed.

"If this is also the view of the Greek Cypriots, then the work will be made easy" he said.

Asked about Mr Holbrooke, Denktash said: "Now we are on the Beattie bridge, we have yet to come to the Holbrooke bridge".

In his turn, Richard Beattie said that he is hopeful and that contacts were continuing and a lot of ideas were being discussed.

Asked to comment on Mr Cassoulides' statement that there was nothing new, Mr Beattie said that everything was on the negotiation table. "Everything had been discussed earlier", he said.

Mr Beattie added that new formulae were discussed and the objective was, as Denktash said, to resume the talks.

Asked whether the European issue was being discussed, Beattie said: "Yes, it is one of the subjects we have discussed."

Asked to comment on whether there was enough ground to resume the talks, Beatttie said: "It is not possible, at this stage, to say something on this issue".

[02] Nationalist Action Party manifesto claims federation in Cyprus not possible

According to KIBRIS (7.12.95), the Nationalist Action Party (NAP) in Turkey has published its election manifesto in which Cyprus is also included.

The part relating to Cyprus says that the Nationalist Action Party stresses that the occupied area should be turned into an independent state as soon as possible. And in case it is not recognised, then it should be made a canton with authonomous status, attached to Turkey.

The manifesto claims that the establishment of a federal state in Cyprus is not possible.

[03] "Turkish Cypriot - British Cultural Association" inaugurated

According to KIBRIS (2.12.95) the so-called "Turkish Cypriot- British Cultural Association" was recently inaugurated. The British High Commissionner to Cyprus, David Madden, cut the cake that was decorated with the British and the pseudostate's flags.

Madden also donated a photocopying machine and a generator to the "Association". The chairwoman of the "Association" is Necla Sutcuoglu.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[04] USA getting prepared for Cyprus

Milliyet's Sami Kohen, in a December 1 article says: "There is a strong chance that Cyprus will be the next issue on which American diplomatic efforts will focus once the U.S. election is over. Moves concerning Cyprus can be expected as of January. The Clinton Administration's special representative Richard Beattie's visit to the island next week will be a sort of "warm-up", a "sounding out". The real diplomatic effort will come later, probably in January, with Richard Holbrooke, the architect of the Bosnian peace, starting to tackle this issue.

For some time Washington has been discreetly making studies and plans concerning Cyprus. A working group well-acquainted with the region and its problems has been created for this purpose. The group, whose members include former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Morton Abramowitz, is trying to formulate ideas.

When the time comes for Holbrooke to tackle the Cyprus issue he will find all the draft plans ready. A similar process of preparations preceded American efforts on various issues including Bosnia, and that method has proved quite successful. The Dayton Agreement was the latest product of the recent U.S. efforts to resolve the major international disputes in various parts of the world: the Israeli-Palestinian agreement, ceasefire in northern Ireland, consensus on Macedonia, dialogue between the Kurdish groups in northern Iraq, and now peace in Bosnia. All these indicate that the United States is the real driving force in the resolution of various international disputes. The U.S. role evidently stems from three major factors: - The need to protect the United States' national interests of an economic or strategic nature as in the case of the Gulf War, and the U.S. drive to ensure Middle Eastern peace. - Domestic policy considerations. In some cases the U.S. administration involved itself in these issues due to pressure exerted by the public or by certain lobbies. Hence, the great interest the U.S. Administration has displayed in northern Ireland. Also, it was public pressure that made the U.S. administration finally decide to intervene in Bosnia-Herzegovina. - The need to fulfill the international leadership role. As the sole remaining superpower, the United States is displaying interest in all world issues and trying to make its influence felt. In the course of that process, it refers to such "high moral values" as democracy and human rights.

Let us view the U.S. desire to tackle the Cyprus problem in this light. Washington considers the Turco-Greek disputes and the Cyprus issue as a menace to stability in the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean, therefore a threat to American interests. We recently heard Holbrooke himself make a comment along these lines. In the wake of the Bosnia peace agreement, the United States considers it necessary to resolve the disputes between Ankara and Athens to ensure stability in the Balkans.

Another reason for the Clinton Administration to tackle this issue concerns domestic politics. Next year an election will be held in the United States, and the Greek lobby has not been idle at all. Also, as part of its continuing "leadership role," the United States now wants to take up the Cyprus issue. Undoubtedly, there is a great difference between the Bosnia issue and the Cyprus problem.

As Turkish diplomats have pointed out, Bosnia has seen four years of war whereas peace has reigned in Cyprus for the past 20 years. But that does not mean that the time has not come for a solution. We believe that during the process of seeking a solution to the Cyprus problem, Turkey should take as a precedent certain provisions of the Bosnia Agreement.

The Bosnia Agreement accepts bizonality and equality of two different "entities." One of these zones is called the "Croat- Bosnian Federation" and the other the "Serb Republic". The agreement authorizes these "entities" to establish organic links with Croatia or with Serbia. It gives the two zones full autonomy in defense, with separate armies of their own, as well as full executive, legislative and judicial autonomy. Though Cyprus and Bosnia are quite different issues, the Turkish side can use some of the elements of the political solution found to the Bosnia problem, and it would be useful to start working on these now.