[01] Denktash to Istanbul and London for lectures on Cyprus issue.

[02] Denktash claims Greek Cypriots have acquired chemical weapons!

[03] Denktash repeats dissatisfaction for Cyprus' EU membership process.

[04] Tremor of 3.5 felt in the occupied area.

No.32/96 17-18-19.2.96

[01] Denktash to Istanbul and London for lectures on Cyprus issue

According to illegal Bayrak radio (6:00 hours, 15.2.96) Rauf Denktash left the occupied area last Thursday for Istanbul and London to lecture on the Cyprus issue and to hold contacts.

Denktash delivered a lecture on the Cyprus issue at a Ramadan dinner in Istanbul on the same night. He also participated in a program broadcast by Kanal-7, which is a private channel.

Denktash later departed for London to inaugurate a center and deliver a lecture on the Cyprus issue.

According to TRT Television Network (18:00 hours, 16.2.96) in a predeparture statement at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, Denktash said that he will be attending a ball organized by Turkish Cypriots residing in Britain to benefit the new hospital recently inaugurated in Kyrenia. He added that during his stay he will also be holding contacts with the Turkish Cypriots there and the association they have established in London.

"I will explain to them why we should not be deceived by the intrigues of the Greek Cypriots, who want to solve the Cyprus problem in their favour by using the EU. They should be united. They should cast away their differences of views and exert every possible effort to foil the Greek Cypriot intentions. This is the message I want to convey", he said.

Denktash further stated that he will also be inaugurating a multipurpose complex built by the Turkish Cypriots in London and whose site was provided by the Sultan of Brunel. The complex includes a mosque as well.

Meanwhile, a British-Northern Cypriot Community Association has been established with the aim of initiating activities to protect "TRNC interests and rights."

According to illegal Bayrak radio (19.2.96 8:00 hours) Rauf Denktash returned to the occupied area last night. (MY)

[02] Denktash claims Greek Cypriots have acquired chemical weapons!

According to illegal Bayrak radio (16:30 hours, 17.2.96) Rauf Denktash has alleged that there are reports to the effect that the Greek Cypriots have now acquired chemical weapons. Denktash added that Russia and France are continuing to sell arms to the Cyprus Government despite the UN Security Council resolutions. Denktash issued these claims during his meeting with Turkish Cypriot Culture Association officials in London, where he went from Istanbul to deliver a lecture on the Cyprus issue.

He also said that the Greek Cypriots have purchased mines from Spain. Alleging that no progress has been made on the Cyprus issue, due to the Greek Cypriots' avoidance of the negotiating table, even though a point of agreement was reached numerous times, Denktash claimed: "Their intention is to take back all the rights we gained after 1974. You should not think that there ever was a possibility of conciliation with these people and that I was the one who drove it off." Noting that he has a reputation for achieving conciliation, Denktash claimed that the reason behind the deadlock is that the world has adopted a mistaken stand in not putting forward its demands to the Cyprus Government which it recognizes as the legal Cypriot government.

Reiterating that the Greek Cypriots intend to join the EU, Denktash once again threatened that should this become a reality, the Turkish Cypriots will integrate with Turkey. He added: "We will undertake with Turkey the same thing the Greek Cypriots carry out with Europe."

Denktash, once again stated in London that "the Turkish Cypriots will live with their heads high in their territory, they will not be dominated by the Greek Cypriots, and they will never give up Turkey's active and effective guarantorship."

[03] Denktash repeats dissatisfaction for Cyprus' EU membership process

Denktash in an exclusive interview to HALKIN SESI (19.2.96), repeats his known views regarding the Cyprus government's effort to strengthen its defences against the Turkish occupation troops and its effort to become an EU member.

Denktash in his interview expresses his dissatisfaction regarding the EU's active interest in Cyprus and putting into practice Cyprus' accession process.

Denktash declares that they will resist any EU membership as long as Turkey is not a member.

Denktash further claims that they have nothing else to do "but to start a national resistance." (MY)

[04] Tremor of 3.5 felt in the occupied area

According to illegal Bayrak radio (11:30 hours, 16.2.96), a tremor occurred last Friday which was also felt in the occupied area.

According to information received from Mustafa Altuncu, director of the so-called Meteorology Department, the tremor was 117 km from the Alevga Seismology Station. It was determined that the tremor registered 3.5 on the Richter scale.