Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media 96-09-16

From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" <dist@hri.org>

Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Directory

TURKISH PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 167/96 16.9.96

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

No. 167/96 16.9.96

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] UN's HAN SUNG-CHU MEETS SERDAR DENKTASH, MUSTAFA AKINCI

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (1030 hours, 12/9/96) Han Sung-chu, the UN Secretary General's special envoy in Cyprus, held contacts in the occupied area. He visited Democratic Party (DP) leader Serdar Denktash and Mustafa Akinci, leader of the Communal Liberation Party (CLP), separately.

The first meeting was held at the DP headquarters and lasted about an hour. Following his meeting with Han Sung-chu, Serdar Denktash said that there is no longer any hope for a solution, claiming that the world should realize that the Greek Cypriots do not want a solution but the continuation of a second Greek State.

Serdar Denktash said that he told the UN Special represent- ative that if, in the wake of the incidents that occurred during the past month, the two sides are forced to a solution, that solution cannot be viable. He claimed that the cooperation between the two communities can come about first and foremost if the Greek Cypriots want it. Denktash stated that Han Sung-chu did not bring any plans, adding: "The only thing the UN is doing is to see whether the negotiating process can resume or not, fol- lowing the latest incidents."

Denktash also claimed that President Clerides silently approved of the latest incidents, that the Greek Cypriots had taken measures during previous incidents, and this latest inci- dent could have been prevented too.

Serdar Denktash stated that from now on he will meet foreign representatives at his "ministry", as "deputy prime minister", because these representatives are received by the Greek Cypriot ministers at their ministries. Serdar Denktash stressed that this decision was made by the DP and that it would be right if the other parties reached a decision along those lines too.

Han Sung-chu later met with CLP leader Akinci. Also present were Erdogan Nail and Gungor Gurkan, members of the executive council of the party.

After the one-hour meeting, Akinci said that he told Han Sung-chu that the thing to do now under the current conditions is to bring the two leaders together, and to have the political party leaders from the two sides resume their meetings. Akinci recalled that following the latest meeting of the party leaders in May, it is now the CLP's turn to bring them together. The importance of such a meeting would be great, he said, in the wake of the latest incidents.

Akinci pointed out that during the meeting he also had the chance to talk of certain other important issues. He said that he reiterated that the Greek Cypriot side's application to the EU will lead to negative results.

Replying to a question, Akinci said that President Clerides is maintaining his old stand and that therefore the probability for a meeting between the two leaders does not seem high.

[02] DENKTASH READY TO DISCUSS CYPRUS ISSUE `AS A WHOLE'

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (1530 hours, 13/9/96) Rauf Denktash has called on President Glafcos Clerides and said that he is ready to discuss the Cyprus issue as a whole at the nego- tiation table adding that the issue cannot be handled piecemeal. Denktash met with Han Sung-chu, the UN Secretary General's Spe- cial envoy in Cyprus, a second time last Friday. Denktash ans- wered Greek Cypriot reporters' questions prior to his meeting with Han Sung-chu.

In reply to a question on the letter President Clerides sent to him, Denktash said that he was preparing his answer to the letter in question and that he would send it through the intermediary of the peace forces. Recalling that President Clerides expressed the desire to discuss the issue of disarmament in his letter, Denktash alleged that holding discussions only on the disarmament issue will not contribute to a solution to the Cyprus issue. Denktash said: "I called Clerides to the negotiat- ing table in a bid to hold discussions on the Cyprus issue as a whole instead of handling it piecemeal."

Noting that the UN Secretary General's set of ideas contain the issue of disarmament, Denktash added: "However, the set of ideas stress the continuation of the guarantee system as well." Explaining that both sides will reduce the number of soldiers in line with a program once an agreement is reached on the Cyprus issue as a result of negotiations, Denktash added: "Anyhow, this issue should be mandled at the negotiating table. It cannot be handled on its own. The Cyprus issue should be dealt with as a whole."

Denktash stressed that the 1960 agreements, which provide equal status to the Turkish Cypriot community politically, cannot be disregarded.

In the statement following his meeting with Han Sung-chu, Denktash stressed that the Turkish Cypriots cannot relinquish the rights they secured in 1960 such as equality and Turkey's guar- antorship.

Recounting that Han Sung-chu was worried upon his arrival on the island in view of the recent incidents, Denktash explained that the UN Secretary General's special envoy to Cyprus welcomed the approach adopted by both sides on the issue of holding a meeting.

Noting that Han Sung-chu is mostly testing both sides, Denk- tash claimed in reply to a question that the Greek Cypriot stand stood in the way of reaching a decision on the two leaders' reso- lution to get together in the wake of the last contacts.

Han Sung-chu, in turn, replied to reporters' question fol- lowing his meeting with Denktash. Explaining that he undertook these meetings in a bid to reduce the present tension between the two communities in Cyprus and to set a course for the future of Cyprus, Han Sung-chu added: "I hope that we will achieve prog- ress."

In reply to a question on whether or not the two leaders will get together in the near future, Han Sung-chu said: "It is pos- sible. It should be possible. This depends on the timing and the conditions. I am not pessimistic."

He also said that he was rather optimistic regarding the issue of receiving constructive declarations from the two lead- ers.

[03] TALAT EXPRESSES READINESS TO ASSIST HAN SUNG-CHU

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (1030 hours, 13/9/96) Han Sung-chu, the UN Secretary General's special envoy in Cyprus, is continuing to hold contacts in Cyprus. He paid a visit to the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) headquarters at 1100 today and conferred with RTP leader Mehmet Ali Talat.

In a statement he issued following the hour-long meeting, Talat said that he pointed out the importance of launching the negotiations regarding the Cyprus issue. Explaining that each day that goes by made it more difficult to find a solution to the issue and increased the communities' distrust in peace, Talat added: "For this reason, I said to Han Sung-chu, speedy measures have to be taken. I conveyed to him that we will extend every kind of support to the efforts exerted in connection with this issue."

Stating that the two leaders getting together will reduce chauvinism and increase the people's trust in a solution, Talat added: "Efforts should be exerted along these lines."

[04] ETKIN TELLS FEISSEL UN MUST CONDEMN RECENT "GREEK ATTACK"

Taner Etkin, "Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense", met with Gustave Feissel, the UN Secretary General's deputy special envoy in Cyprus. The meeting was held on Etkin's request. The latest developments and the relations with the UN peace-keeping force in Cyprus were discussed.

In a statement after the meeting, Etkin said he reiterated the Turkish Cypriot side's "request" that the United Nations and the UN Security Council "condemn the latest armed attack carried out by the Greek Cypriots who martyred a soldier and wounded another."

Feissel said after the meeting that they assessed the latest developments. He did not elaborate.

[05] DENKTASH COMMENTS ON RELEASE OF FOUR ISRAELIS

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (1030 hours, 13/9/96) Rauf Denktash has stated that the "borders" of the pseudostate are closed to all those who commit a crime in the free areas and attempt to cross over into the occupied area in view of its dis- agreement with the Greek Cypriots.

In a statement he issued to press members Denktash reacted very strongly against the criticisms appearing in certain news- papers regarding the handing over of the four Israelis. Alleging that the pseudostate is not a shelter for criminals, Denktash added that the Israelis were not aware of this principle when they crossed over the buffer zone and entered the occupied area.

[06] TURKISH CYPRIOTS TO ATTEND IPU MEETINGS

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (0500 hours, 15/9/96) a so-called Assembly delegation that will represent the pseudostate at the 96th Interparliamentary Union (IPU) meetings in Beijing left the island yesterday morning. The delegation, which is headed by "Assembly Speaker" Ayhan Halit Acarkan, will attend the IPU meetings which will start Monday and continue until 22 Sep- tember. The delegation will also attend the IPU Cyprus follow-up committee meetings, which will take place between 17 and 19 Sep- tember, and will brief the committee members on the latest devel- opments in Cyprus. Representatives from Turkey, Greece, and Britain, in addition to delegations from the pseudostate and the Cyprus Government will attend the Cyprus follow-up committee meetings. The committee will prepare a report which it will sub- mit to the IPU Council after the meetings are concluded.

Noting that the developments of the last six months and the situation prompted by the incidents in Cyprus should be assessed at the IPU and the Cyprus follow-up committee meetings, Acarkan added: "We believe that great duties befall the IPU and the Cyprus follow-up committee within this framework in order to find a solution to the issue and enable the leaders to get together."

[07] DENKTASH COMMENTS ON PRESIDENT CLERIDES' STATEMENT

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (1530 hours, 14/9/96) Pre- sident Rauf Denktash has described as positive the statement issued by President Glafcos Clerides the other day on defusing the tension. Denktash claimed: "The tragic incidents in Dherinia and Akheritou could have been avoided it Clerides had issued this call before."

In an assessment to illegal TAK (Turkish Cypriot News Agency) in connection with the statement, Denktash said that he consid- ered it a positive development that President Clerides "displayed a more energetic approach" toward finding a peaceful solution to the Cyprus issue and that he was determined in pursuing the ini- tiatives undertaken to find a way out of the situation along the lines of the goodwill mission of the UN Secretary General, high- level agreements, and UN resolutions that were acceptable to both sides.

Alleging that he wishes to interpret the statement "as a sign that the Greek Cypriot side has relinquished the policies that it has pursued since 1964", Denktash called President Clerides to the negotiation table within the framework of the set of ideas. He added that the set of ideas included the continuation of the 1960 guarantee system and contained special measures so that the two communites could coexist peacefully in a bizonal atmosphere. Alleging that the Greek Cypriots' giving up their goal of enosis is a prerequisite for peace to reign in Cyprus Denktash added: "The Greek Cypriots should stop their merciless campaign against the Turkish Cypriots for 33 years. It is unfortunate for Cle- rides that the Church in Cyprus instigated the people."

EF/MP