[01] Acarkan, Atun, Rasit on the Russian military cooperation with Cyprus.

[02] Atun meets State, Foreign Ministers in Ankara.

[03] Pasalar on the Russian-Greek Cypriot military cooperation.

[04] Turks arrested for entering UK with forged "TRNC passports".

[05] Turkish Cypriot veterinarians urge ban on British meat.

[06] Population census in the occupied area.

[07] Oymen in Russia to express concern over military agreement between Cyprus and Russia.

NEWS ITEMS

[01] Acarkan, Atun, Rasit on the Russian military cooperation with Cyprus

According to illegal Bayrak radio (16:30 hours, 22.3.96) the military cooperation agreement Russia signed with the Cyprus Government has triggered great reactions within the pseudostate. "Assembly Speaker" Ayhan Halit Acarkan has alleged that the agreement takes the Cyprus solution to a dangerous crossroads. He claimed that this latest development shows how the Greek Cypriot side "is obsessed with the crazy idea of solving the Cyprus problem through war," not through peaceful methods. He also alleged that with this agreement, Russia achieves something it has been trying to do for years - deploying its military power in the southeast Mediterranean.

"Prime Minister" Hakki Atun said that the military relationship established with the Cyprus Government by Russia is worth taking note of in a statement, Atun stressed that the UN Secretary General, the Security Council, and all countries must seriously assess this agreement. He alleged that following the deployment of Greek soldiers on the island as volunteers, now Russian soldiers will be deployed as instructors and modern Russian weapons will be brought to the island. He claimed that this can only help escalate tension and undermine the quest for peace.

He stressed that the Turkish Cypriot side will assess this situation with Turkey quickly and adopt the necessary decisions.

Atay Ahmet Rasit, "Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense", claimed that the Cyprus Government raised its arms buildup to very high levels within the framework of the defense doctrine it signed with Greece.

He added that the Cyprus Government will buy from Russia (F-300) antiaircraft missile systems, T-80 tanks, and BMP-3 type armoured combat vehicles. He said that the Greek Cypriot National Guardsmen who will use the weapons will be trained in Russia. He also said that there are serious signs that certain Russian military advisers and technicians will arrive in Cyprus to conduct training activities there.

Rasit said that it is high time, maybe almost too late, for the United Nations and all the international organizations and countries that want to make a contribution to a solution," to call for a halt to the Greek Cypriot craze", as he put it.

Democratic Party Secretary General Serdar Denktash has noted that the Turkish side, all the relevant states, and the United Nations should quickly assess this situation and adopt the necessary measures" to prevent Russian military amassment in south Cyprus", as he put it.

The Republican Turkish Party (RTP) has announced that the Cyprus Government should realize that a secure atmosphere in Cyprus can only be achieved by means of a bizonal agreement based on political equality, rather than militarization, and that it should take steps to this end. In a statement, Ozkan Yorgancioglu, the RTP press, publications, and propaganda secretary, said that adopting the armament option, signing military cooperation agreements, and seeking military consultancy services from third countries, despite the fact that everyone knows that there is more than enough weapons on the island, exacerbate the lack of security rather than enhancing security and issue an invitation for confrontation on the island.

National Birth Party leader Enver Emin has claimed that Russian generals will begin training Greek Cypriots soldiers in the near future and that when the Greek Cypriots, together with the Russians, "want to possess the entire island, there is no country other than motherland Turkey on which the TRNC can rely and whose help it can seek."

[02] Atun meets State, Foreign Ministers in Ankara

According to illegal Bayrak radio (11:30 hours, 25.3.96), "Prime Minister" Hakki Atun, who is in Ankara, has begun his contacts. He met with State Minister Ayfer Yilmaz, who is also in charge of Cyprus affairs, and with Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay. Nazif Borman, the so-called "TRNC Ambassador" to Ankara, Munir Muhtaroglu, Prime Ministry under secretary, Aydan Karahan, Turkish so-called envoy to Nicosia, Zeki Karaca, the Prime Ministry's Cyprus affairs under secretary, and Ertugrul Afakan, head of the Cyprus-Greek Desk at the Foreign Ministry were also present at the meeting.

According to illegal Bayrak, Atun described as quite beneficial the meeting he held with Yilmaz. Noting that they found the opportunity to discuss many issues including the Cyprus question and many economic issues, Atun added that he briefed the state minister on the work undertaken and to be undertaken by the "coalition government." Pointing out that Yilmaz told him that Turkey is ready to contribute to the solution of the existing problems, Atun said that these talks will continue within the framework of the work to be undertaken from now on. Atun said that the customs issue will be taken up with Turkey as soon as possible, adding that a value added tax should be imposed. He noted, however, that while this tax is being imposed one should take certain measures to prevent a rise in the cost of living. Pointing out that beneficial talks were exchanged on the issues concerning privatization, electricity, and the so-called Turkish Cypriot Airlines, Atun added that emergency, short, and long-term plans were also discussed. Pointing out that the construction of a new steel silo was also discussed, Atun said that Yilmaz told him that every possible aid will be extended to help the pseudostate overcome its budget and financial difficulties.

Atun later met with Gonensay at the Foreign Ministry. In a statement prior to the meeting, Atun said that this was a courtesy call and that he will be congratulating the minister on his appointment.

Atun also said: "It is out of the question for us to renounce our rights, our sovereignty and our state". Noting that "the Turkish Cypriots want to safeguard their rights and to live in peace in their free state under Turkish guarantees", Atun added that the pseudostate is ready to reach an agreement "that acknowledges its political equality and its rights."

Gonensay said that the Cyprus question is one of Turkey's foreign policy priorities. He stressed that Turkey will always stand by the Turkish Cypriots whether it concerns political or economic issues, reiterating that a solution that is unacceptable to the Turkish Cypriots cannot be valid on the island. Gonensay said that Turkey is aware of the economic difficulties of the Turkish Cypriots and that a program is being considered to overcome them.

Atun returned to the island via Istanbul last night.

[03] Pasalar on the Russian-Greek Cypriot military cooperation

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (11:30 hours, 22.3.96), Olgun Pasalar, deputy "speaker" of the so-called Republican Assembly, has said that "Russia has taken the process of arming south Cyprus to the point of signing a cooperation agreement with it," and that this is a grave development that must be assessed seriously and sensitively by the international community.

In a written statement, he claimed that the Russian attitude contradicts peaceful expectations, as well as moral and legal values. He alleged that from now on, Russia does not have the right to speak about or contribute to the search for a lasting and peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem.

Pasalar also claimed that Russia's attitude openly reflects hostility and warmongering, and irresponsibly and dangerously sabotages the quest for peace.

He pointed out that "this irresponsible toying with the military balances in Cyprus can only lead to heavier losses on the Greek-Greek Cypriot side in a possible war."

[04] Turks arrested for entering UK with forged "TRNC passports"

According to KIBRIS (26.3.96), two Turkish citizens tried to enter the UK with forged so-called TRNC passports at Stansted Airport in London.

KIBRIS gives the initials of the two Turkish Cypriots whom the two passports belong to. These are T.U and U.U.

The paper adds that British police refuses to disclose the names of the two Turkish nationals. They were taken into custody on 10 March.

KIBRIS reports that Denktash's so-called police last night arrested in the occupied area the Turkish Cypriot with the initials T.U. for further investigation.

KIBRIS says that the forged passports belong to T.U. and U.U. but the photographs have been changed. (MY)

[05] Turkish Cypriot veterinarians urge ban on British meat

According to illegal Bayrak radio (16:30 yours, 24.3.96) the so-called Turkish Cypriot Veterinary Doctors Union has called on the "authorities" to ban the import of all kinds of meat from Britain because of the mad cow disease which can infect human beings as well. It said that all the imported meat products must be confiscated.

In a written statement, union spokesman Mustafa Turk said that the second-hand agricultural tools to be imported must be disinfected vigorously in customs, and the country of origin must be thoroughly checked for imported frozen sperm and cattle feed made of meat and bone.

[06] Population census in the occupied area

According to KIBRIS (25.3.96) the so-called State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of the pseudostate Mehmet Ali Talat has declared that there will be a population census in the occupied area either in September or in October this year.

He said that nine billion TL has been allocated from the "budget" for this purpose. (MY)

[07] Oymen in Russia to express concern over military agreement between Cyprus and Russia

According to HURRIYET (25.3.96) Turkish Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary, Ambassador Onur Oymen, is to visit Moscow tomorrow.

During his talks with Russian officials Oymen will convey Ankara's concern regarding Russia's military built-up in the Caucasus and the military cooperation agreement signed between Russia and Cyprus. Regarding the military agreement with Cyprus, Oymen will tell the Russian officials that this agreement could negatively affect Turkish-Russian relations and that Russia should not prepare the ground for a new conflict in Cyprus. (MY)