TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA (Cyprus PIO review) 96-05-17

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

Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Directory

TURKISH PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No.86/96 17.5.96

NEWS ITEMS

[01] Gonensay: The London and Zurich agreements are Turkey's trump cards

[02] Denktash meets Boucher

[03] General Kimdakci on the joint defence doctrine

[04] Turkish Cypriot press warns it cannot survive

[05] Boucher meets Serdar Denktash

NEWS ITEMS

[01] Gonensay: The London and Zurich agreements are Turkey's trump cards

Gonensay said that the Turkish Cypriots must be equally represented in Cyprus when the island joins the EU. He asserted: "Turkey will not relinquish the London and Zurich Agreements, which are its trump cars. However, it will use its trump cards in a positive way."

His remarks were taken to mean as follows the paper says: "Turkey will be flexible regarding the accession of Cyprus, in which the two communities will have an equal status, if the peace talks yield acceptable results and if the door is opened to Turkey's membership in the EU. Otherwise, Turkey will use the London and Zurich Agreements to prevent the island from becoming an EU member."

[02] Denktash meets Boucher

Denktash met with US Ambassador to Nicosia Richard Boucher yesterday morning and conferred with him for one hour. In a statement after the meeting, Denktash said Boucher informed him that the Greek Cypriots are ready to discuss a federation. He noted that the Greek Cypriots stated that they accept bizonality and equality and are ready to discuss the sovereignty issue. With regard to the guarantee agreement, Denktash explained, the Greek Cypriots have conceded to the continuation of the agreement, but proposed that the Turkish troops be deployed on the island as part of an international unit.

Denktash alleged: "When such an international force ceases to exist, the Turkish and Greek troops will have to leave the island, and this will leave us facing the Greek Cypriots."

[03] General Kundakci on the joint defence doctrine

During the program Lieutenant Kundakci referred to the Common Defence and Cooperation Agreement between Greece and Cyprus and said: "The Joint Defence Cooperation Agreement has provided certain things for the Greek Cypriots, but it has brought risks together as well. Of course the essence is that it has extended the Greek Defence region in such a way as to include the Greek Cypriot region in the south. Moreover, the agreement stipulates that the military training, the buying of arms and military hardware as well as defence should be planned by single hand. However, for the last 22 years the Greek Cypriot side has been prospering without experiencing any harm. As Hugo Gobbi put it, it has reached its prosperity peak. This Joint Defence and Cooperation agreement, in case something happens between Greece and Turkey, will put south Cyprus' Greek Administration into difficulties and risks. As far as I am concerned the Greek Cypriot administration, knowingly or not, has decided to face this risk, but how it will face it I don't know. I only see that they have put themselves into risks. This is the way I assess it. The Greek Cypriots maintained their old stance they would not have to face this risk. In this agreement the Greeks have big interests. The Greeks have to keep their defence establishments operational. Meeting Greek defence demands is not enough in order to keep these establishments operational. The Greek Cypriots have money. Greece, making use of the Greek Cypriot money, will operate these establishments it will supply to both sides the thing it will produce. I am convinced that although the Greek Cypriots have secured certain benefits from this agreement the risk they have taken weighs more than the benefit they have secured. Greece has benefited more from this arrangement.

Asked to comment on how a tension between Greece and Turkey would reflect on the Greek Cypriots within the framework of this agreement General Kundakci said: "Such a situation entails risks for the Greek Cypriots who are Greece's ally. It would no be good."

Regarding the Cyprus Government's attempt to strength its defences against as it is put by General Kundakci "battle ready Turkish occupation troops".

General Kundakci said: "We wonder why the Greek Cypriots felt the need to strengthen their defences now. Our strength is known. They have no chance as long as the peace forces are in Cyprus. If the Greek Cypriots are acquiring these weapons against us, these are not enough. But if they are getting them for the Turkish Cypriots then they are more than enough".

Kundakci alleged that "the Greek Cypriots are arming themselves with the dream of attacking the TRNC".

General Kundakci considered as "very funny" of branding of the Turkish troops as "occupationist". He claimed that they were on the island within the framework of "International Treaties".

"The Turkish troops will leave the island once a sound agreement is concluded, otherwise we will not leave the island", declared the General.

As further battle readiness of the occupation troops General Kundakci boosted: "Our fighting capability is very high. Officers, non-commissioned officers and experts who acquired fighting experience in South east Anatolia, are serving in the Peace Force. We have great dynamism. We are always, day and night, ready for war. We are here to safeguard the security and tranquillity of the Turkish Cypriot people and we will continue this duty with the ideal that the TRNC will last forever. The Greek Cypriots are well aware of this fact."

Kundakci also referred to Cyprus' EU membership and repeated the known Turkish unfounded arguments. (MY)

[04] Turkish Cypriot press warns it cannot survive

"We would like to thank our people and our employees who helped us survive until today", they wait.

They protest that they have reached to this stage because of the promotion campaigns conducted by mainland Turkey's press and they wonder why the mainland press cannot do the same in Germany or in the UK.

They conclude by remanding that: "The day the Turkish Cypriot press goes silent, the world will have no information about the Turkish Cypriots and the end looser will be the Turkish Cypriot community as a whole". (MY)

[05] Boucher meets Serdar Denktash

During the meeting Boucher discussed inter alia, the latest developments in the Cyprus problem. (MY)