Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media (96-06-06)

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

Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Directory

TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

AND OTHER MEDIA

99/96 6.6.96

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash in Istanbul to meet Boutros-Ghali

According to illegal Bayrak radio (5:00 hours, 5.6.96) Rauf Denktash has stated that a decision regarding the Cyprus issue will not be made during his meeting with UN Secretary General Boutros-Ghali in Istanbul.

In a statement he issued prior to his departure from the island for Istanbul Tuesday evening, Denktash said that the Turkish Cypriots want the Secretary-General to pursue his goodwill mission.

Denktash added: "The path to EU membership does not fit with the talks. We were clearly told that Cyprus, as a whole, will not become an EU member before the Cyprus issue is solved. We would like, however, to see that work is undertaken in goodwill in a bid to solve this issue."

Denktash further stated that he will have a chance to discuss various issues with Boutros-Ghali, including the regrettable incident in which an unarmed Greek Cypriot national guard was killed in the buffer zone in Nicosia the other day.

In a statement he issued to reporters upon his arrival in Istanbul, Denktash reiterated his regret at the death of the Greek Cypriot national guard. Explaining that he proposed that the Greek Cypriot leader sign a nonaggression pact and jointly withdraw soldiers, Denktash claimed: "Clerides blocked the path to the talks even though we expressed our willingness to hold talks on these issues."

Meanwhile, Anatolia agency (10:20 GMT 5.6.96) adds: "The Boutros-Ghali-Denktash meeting, which was expected to take place today, was postponed due to the UN Secretary-General's illness."

Denktash will stage a news conference after meeting with Boutros-Ghali.

[02] Decree on Turkish Ambassadors approved

According to HURRIYET (31.5 96) Turkish President Demirel has approved a decree on changes among ambassadors, following a long period of work on it. Ambassador to Washington Nuzhet Kandemir, Ambassador to Paris Tansug Bleda, and Sonmez Koksal, under secretary of the National Intelligence Organization, will maintain their positions until the end of 1996, as agreed by the coalition government's partners earlier.

A new ambassador has been accredited to Belgrade. Ankara's relations with Belgrade were suspended for a long time. The accredition was due to the improvement of the situation as a result of the implementation of the Dayton Agreement. Alev Kilic, deputy director of the Foreign Ministry Balkan Affairs Department, has been appointed ambassador to Belgrade.

Murat Ersavci, director general of Publications and Broadcasts, has been appointed ambassador to Brazil. Gun Gur, director general of the Middle East Department, has been appointed ambassador to Madrid. Yalim Eralp, foreign policy adviser to the Prime Minister's Office, has been appointed ambassador to the CSCE. He will be stationed in Vienna. Umut Arik, chairman of the Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency, has been appointed ambassador to Rome, and Oktay Aksoy, director of diplomatic protocol at the Foreign Ministry, has been appointed ambassador to Tokyo.

Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay informed the ambassadors on the decree. Erdil Akay, director of the Foreign Ministry Training Center, has been appointed Ambassador to FAO in Rome; Ahmet Banguoglu, deputy director general of the Maritime and Aviation Department, has been appointed ambassador to Lisbon; Nurettin Nurkan, deputy spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, has been appointed Ambassador to Bratislava; Turan Morali, deputy director general of the NATO and Western European Union Affairs Department, has been appointed Ambassador to Copenhagen; and Ahmet Okcun, responsible deputy director general of the Economic Development Organization, has been appointed Ambassador to Tirana.

Ambassador to Rome Unal Unsal has been accredited to Beijing, Ambassador to Copenhagen Farut Logoglu has been accredited to Baku, and Ambassador to Baku Omur Orhon and Ambassador to Tokyo Necati Utkan have been recalled to central headquarters. Meanwhile, Ambassador to Madrid Aydin Yegen has retired and Ambassador to Tripoli Ergun Sav was recalled, at his request, before his term ended.

[03] Boucher: "You have a sunny future"

According to KIBRIS (6.6.96) the USA Ambassador to Cyprus Richard Boucher, gave a farewell reception at his residence in the occupied area. Answering questions put to him by KIBRIS and the illegal Bayrak radio television (BRT) correspondents, Richard Boucher conveyed his good wishes to the Turkish Cypriots and said: "You have a sunny future on this island."

He said that the road to establishing the future for the Turkish Cypriots passes through serious negotiations.

Saying that they have an idea about what will be the future agreement, Boucher added that it is necessary to sit down and negotiate for the agreement. As for the confidence-building-measures (CBMs) Boucher said: "The CBMs are still part of the package. But in order to further them, political support is needed."

When asked what kind of a solution the USA wants in Cyprus, Boucher answered: "The solution that the USA wants in Cyprus is the solution wanted by the Cypriots."

Noting that agreement had been reached on certain points, Boucher said: "It will be a bizonal, bicommunal federation, with political equality and there will be territorial arrangements. Both sides' security will be safeguarded, there will be some guarantees, a demilitarization process will start. Both sides speak about the EU membership."

As for the guarantees, Boucher said that they are aware of the fact that the Turkish side does not want changes in the 1960 guarantee system. However, he added, this system failed to provide security for both sides in the past. Boucher said that either an international force or a kind of UN force could contribute to the guarantees.

Saying that they consider the EU as an opportunity for the Cypriots, the US Ambassador recalled that Cyprus's EU accession talks will start within one to one and a half years time. He said: "We believe that until that time, in order to find a solution, every effort should be made so that the Federal Cyprus which will include both communities be ready for negotiations with the EU." (MY)

- 5 -

[04] Irish parliamentary delegation in the occupied area

According to KIBRIS (6.6.96), a four-member Irish parliamentary delegation arrived in the occupied area for contacts and investigation.

According to the information given out by the so-called Foreign and Defence Ministry of the pseudostate the names of the Irish Parliamentarians are: Noel Dempsey, Sean Power, Charles Flanagan and Mildred Fox. The delegation will leave the occupied area on 9 June.

The visiting delegation will meet Turkish Cypriot party leaders, community leaders and on Saturday Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash. (MY)

[05] Shall we go to the south?

ORTAM (6.6.96) under the banner headline "Shall we go to the south?" is saying that 200 Cypfruvex workers who have been dismissed under the disguise of "unpaid leave" held a protest march in occupied Nicosia.

The protesters shouted slogans against the present regime such as "do you want to sent us to the south?" or "Write us off from citizenship".

ORTAM says that during the protest meeting in front of the so-called Prime Minister's office the protesters booed the so-called Economy and Finance Minister Salih Cosar who arrived there for the so-called Council of Ministers meeting and tried to manhandle him. Security people with difficulty whisked him away to the so-called Prime Minister's garden.

ORTAM said that during the incident Cosar did not sustain any injury or blow.