TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA (Cyprus PIO review) 95-12-12

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

Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Directory

TURKISH PRESS

AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 233/95 12.12.95

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] THIRD DP-RTP "COALITION GOVERNMENT"

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (1630 hours, 11/12/95) the so-called protocol of the third Democratic Party-Republican Tur- kish Party (DP-RTP) "coalition government" has been signed. Both Hakki Atun and Ozker Ozgur signed the "protocol".

Under the "protocol" there are no change in the distribution of "ministries" between the two parties.

In a statement Atun said: "At this stage, we were not going to leave the country without a government. Following 15 days of intensive goodwill efforts, we reached the stage of setting up a government and submitting the list to the president."

RTP leader Ozgur delivered a short speech saying that the authorized bodies of the parties decided to establish the "gov- ernment". He said that he hopes it will be successful.

Illegal Bayrak had also reported earlier that Ozker Ozgur announced that he will not be a member of the present "cabinet" because the reasons for his resignation from the second DP-RTP "coalition government" have not yet been eliminated. In reply to a question, Ozgur said that he had voted against forming a "gov- ernment" with the DP during the relevant vote in the party.

According to TRT Television Network (1800 hours, 11/12/95) Rauf Denktash approved the "cabinet list" submitted by Hakki Atun and expressed the hope that the "government" will work with goodwill to serve the people.

The "cabinet" is composed of the following "ministers": Mehmet Ali Talat, "state minister and deputy prime minister", Atay Ahmet Rasit, "foreign affairs and defense minister", Mustafa Adaoglu, "interior minister", Salih Cosar, "economy and finance minister", Ahmet Derya, "national education and culture minis- ter", Suha Turkoz, "public works and transportation minister", Huseyin Celal, "health minister", Omer Kalyoncu, "labour and social security minister", and Mustafa Gokmen "minister of youth, sports, and environmental affairs".

[02] DENKTASH DECLARES READY FOR NEGOTIATIONS IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE HIGH-LEVEL AGREEMENTS

According to KIBRIS (12.12.95), the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, in a U-turn manoeuvring, has declared that the "TRNC is ready to resume negotiations with the Greek Cypriot Administration within the framework of the 1977 and 1979 high level Agreements".

The Turkish Cypriot leader further declared that he is ready to meet with President Clerides without any preconditions.

Denktash made this statement after meeting the visiting Rus- sian delegation from the Russian Foreign Ministry headed by Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Krilov.

Denktash also had a meeting yesterday with the UN Secretary General's Special Cyprus Representative, Gustave Feissel.

After the meeting Denktash did not make any statement.

Prior to the meeting, Feissel said that following the visits by Beattie and Haydn Warren Gash, he wanted to exchange views with Denktash.

He said that there were no new developments as regards the solution process of the problem.

He added that intensive efforts are continuing and that they are closely following the statements made by both sides. (MY)

[03] TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER ON CUSTOMS UNION AND CYPRUS

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (0600 hours, 11/12/95) Deniz Baykal, Turkish Foreign Minister and deputy Prime Minister, has said that Turkey's membership in the Customs Union (CU) and the Cyprus issue are not linked.

In reply to reporters' questions on the issue of CU, Baykal stated that no concessions were made regarding Cyprus. Pointing out that it is out of question for Turkey to renounce its rights on Cyprus, Baykal added: "Should it be necessary, we can always put forward the issue of our right to integrate with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus similar to the stand adopted by Greece." Stressing that the EU concluded that Turkey is indif- ferent to solving the Cyprus issue and thus decided to have Cyprus join the EU within a fixed date, Baykal said that the EU expected this decision to motivate Turkey. Remarking that Turkey informed the EU of its view that such a decision will prevent Greece from undertaking an approach at solving the issue at the negotiation table, Baykal added that he is against Cyprus, in its present structure, to become a member of the EU before a peace agreement is reached. Baykal further stated that this decision was communicated to concerned parties during his last trip.

Upon a reporter recalling that Article 16 and 64 of the CU document which was adopted at the EU Association Council meeting and signed on 6 March 1995, carries the condition that Ankara should conduct preferential trade with the Cyprus Government under the name of Cyprus Republic, Baykal said: "Trade agreements do not bind us. We will assess whether or not to take the agreement into consideration. This is a step to be taken in the coming period. There is no question of a renounced right. Should it be necessary, we can always put forward our right to integrate with the TRNC just in the same way as Greece."

[04] EP FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMISION ACCEPTS REPORT ON TURKEY

According to RTR Television Network (1800 hours, 11/12/95) the European Parliament (EP) Foreign Affairs Commission convened yesterday and contrary to expectations, it was a short meeting - it lasted about 20 minutes. The rate of participation was quite high.

The commission members voted on the political report drawn up by Spanish parliamentarian, Carlos Carnero, about Turkey. The results are: the number of positive votes was 42, the number of negative votes was 13, and the number of abstentions was four.

The names of some well-known parliamentarians who voted in favor of the report include: Catherine Lalumiere, Abel Matutes, who chaired the commission meeting, Belgian parliamentarian Tin- demans, Pierre Rocard, Jacques Land, and others. The parliamen- tarian who drew up the report, Carnero, voted against the report.

After this vote, at its meeting on Wednesday, 13 December, the EP will debate and vote on the Turkish report.

[05] TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY REACTS TO EP DRAFT RESOLUTION

According to ANATOLIA News Agency (1545 hours, 11/12/95) Turkey severely reacted to an European Parliament's (EP) draft resolution yesterday which requires Turkey to negotiate with the PKK.

Reacting to this draft resolution which is said will be voted on after the voting on Turkey's Customs Union membership on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ambassador Omer Akbel said in his weekly press conference that, "if these allegations are proved to be true, this would be an unacceptable situation."

According to some EP sources in Strasbourg, the draft reso- lution calls on Turkey to sit at the negotiating table with the PKK, while urging to exert moral pressure on Ankara to settle the Cyprus issue. It also urges Turkey to improve its human rights.

[06] MESUT YILMAZ ON CUSTOMS UNION AND CYPRUS

According to TRT Television Network (1800 hours, 10/12/95) Motherland Party leader Mesut Yilmaz has claimed that Cyprus' membership in the EU in the name of all Cyprus will mean the end of the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and will pave the way to an "underhanded realization of enosis." Yilmaz answered reporters' questions on his way to Izmir to attend his party's rally.

Yilmaz claimed that Turkey, by keeping silent, is sending the message that it will not object to Cyprus' full membership in the EU and that the EU members, in return, will approve Turkey's membership in the Customs Union (CU). Yilmaz said: "We consider this a very dangerous arrangement because Turkey's membership in the CU is in effect a right based on earlier agreements."

Yilmaz further stated that Prime Minister Tansu Ciller should submit the minutes of her March meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton to the state archives and added that he believes the concessions made regarding the Cyprus issue are not in the state archives.

[07] DENKTASH MEETS DUTCH AMBASSADOR

According to KIBRIS (12.12.95) Denktash had a meeting with the Dutch Ambassador to Cyprus, Ronald Van Beuge.

The meeting with the Rome - based Ambassador lasted 45 min- utes. There was no statement after the meeting. (MY)

[08] TURKISH SCOUTS TO HELP IN THE REFORESTATION OF PENTADAKTYLOS

According to HALKIN SESI (12.12.95) around 270 Turkish scouts from all over Turkey have arrived in the occupied area and camped on the occupied Pentadaktylos range to help in the reforestation work. (MY)