|
|
|
Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media (Cyprus PIO Review) 96-06-11.
From: Panayiotis Zaphiris <pzaphiri@glue.umd.edu>
TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA
No.102/96 11.6.96
CONTENTS
[A] NEWS ITEMS
[01] Memorandum of understanding between Turkey and the pseudostate.
[02] DP-RTP coalition might collapse, NUP-DP coalition on the horizon.
[03] Denktash expresses optimism after meeting Boutros-Ghali.
[A] NEWS ITEMS
[01] Memorandum of understanding between Turkey and the pseudostate
According to illegal Bayrak radio (10:30 hours, 10.6.96)
Ayfer Yilmaz, Turkish State Minister responsible for Cyprus
affairs, ended her five-day visit to the occupied area and left
the island yesterday. Before she left, she held a joint news
conference with "prime minister" Hakki Atun and discussed her
visit. A joint memorandum of understanding was signed during the
new conference in connection with the talks held.
Yilmaz said that during her visit, she tried to discuss
the issues from all their angles. She pointed out that the issues
were discussed not only between the "governments", but between the
private sectors and the agriculture and livestock breeding
sectors. The aim, she said, is to increase productivity.
Yilmaz pointed out that there is a significant lack of
infrastructure in the "TRNC", and that during her contacts they
discussed how Turkey can extend its support. She said that the
five days of talks were fruitful and, for her, satisfying.
Atun said that this visit proves once again to friend and
foe alike, that motherland Turkey is on the side of the Turkish
Cypriots until the end. Atun said that "the TRNC was very pleased
to hear State Minister Yilmaz say once again that her country is
determined to protect its legitimate rights and interests as cited
in the 1960 agreements and that it will oppose Greek Cypriot
efforts to become an EU member on behalf of the entire island."
After explaining the memorandum of understanding reached
in economic and cultural matters, Atun called on the Turkish
private sector, businessmen, and investors to invest in the
"TRNC". He alleged that "those who cry and moan that the TRNC is
in bad shape strengthen the Greek Cypriots."
The memorandum of understanding foresees closer
cooperation between Turkey and the pseudostate in the fields of
commercial relations, financial relations, energy and water
projects, agriculture, health, education, culture, youth, sports,
and environment.
Replying to a question on whether the issue of a stable
accounting unit was discussed at all, State Minister Yilmaz said:
"First, there must be production. Unless there is production, the
monetary unit does not have much meaning". Replying to the same
question, Atun said that the stable accounting unit was not
discussed, that other alternative solutions are being sought.
[02] DP-RTP coalition might collapse, NUP-DP coalition on the horizon
KIBRIS (11.6.96) reporting under "Stop-Press" says that
the Democratic Party's (DP) so-called Parliamentary Group convened
last night and gave full authority to the party's general chairman
Serdar Denktash to negotiate with the NUP, the National Unity
Party, for establishing a new centre-right coalition.
During the DP's so-called Parliamentary Group meeting,
says KIBRIS, there were heated arguments and speakers expressed
the view that time has come to put an end to the DP-RTP coalition.
Circles which are not happy with the stance the RTP is
taking regarding the Cyprus problem and domestic issues are
working hard behind the scene to topple the present coalition and
pave the way for a NUP-DP coalition. (MY)
[03] Denktash expresses optimism after meeting Boutros-Ghali
According to Turkish Daily News (10.6.96) Rauf Denktash said
publicly, following his meeting with United Nations Secretary
General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, that he was optimistic about the
future of talks with the Greek Cypriot side.
Speaking with the Turkish Daily News about their meeting,
which lasted more than one hour, Denktash stressed the importance
of continuing to rely on the good offices of the UN
Secretary-General for direct negotiations between the Greek and
Turkish Cypriots. He added that this approach had the support of
the United States but "it was unfortunate that President Glafcos
Clerides had rejected it according to a report in the June 1 issue
of the Cyprus Mail."
He also mentioned a comment reported in the Greek Cypriot
daily, FILEFTHEROS, from DISI Party leader Matsis as to how the
bid to enter the European Union would, upon being granted, ensure
that European principles would be applied if there were a federal
solution between the two communities.
This would mean that all the freedoms of the citizens
regardless of where they lived would be protected and would negate
the protection of freedoms as proposed in high-level agreements,
he said. In short, Denktash alleged, the UN proposed Set of Ideas
as the basis of an agreement were no longer on the table.
According to Denktash, he told Boutros-Ghali that the
issue was whether the Greek Cypriots still stood by earlier agreed
upon parameters for holding direct negotiations and reaching an
agreement or not. These parameters included a Cyprus in which
both the Turkish and the Greek Cypriots shared the island as a
common home; the two partners in the proposed federation would
jointly decide which powers would be given to the federal
government and which would be retained by the two federated
states; the relationship between the two communities would be one
of political equality; and the Treaties of Guarantee and of
Alliance will continue as provided in the UN Set of Ideas.
In addition, confidence needed to be created before
proceeding to a settlement; the membership of Cyprus in the
European Union was to be established by referendum; property
claims are to be settled by exchange and/or compensation;
bizonality would be no dissolved or made ineffective under any
pretext whatsoever; there is to be effective Turkish Cypriot
participation in the central federal government; the decision at
the Council of Ministers' level is to be reached by consensus; and
any agreement which will be reached will be put to separate
referendum on both sides, Denktash concluded.
|
