Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 96-10-07

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TURKISH PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No.179/96 4-5-6-7.10.96

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Hakki Atun elected "Speaker".

[02] New "Turkish Cypriot Committee" in London.

[03] New "Advisor" for Rauf Denktash.

[04] OIC support for Turkish Cypriot being sought.

[05] Denktash claims the EU is deceiving them.

[06] Turkey "reconsidering" its original stand on EU membership.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Hakki Atun elected "Speaker"

Atun was the only candidate. A total of 27 "deputies" voted in favour of Atun, nine voted against, and six abstained. Five ballots were empty and one ballot was invalid. Taner Etkin, "Foreign Affairs and Defense Minister", and a Republican Turkish Party "deputy" who are currently abroad, did not participate in the vote.

[02] New "Turkish Cypriot Committee" in London

In a statement, the "committee" stated that it "will respond effectively to Greek Cypriot and Greek propaganda."

[03] New "Advisor" for Rauf Denktash

Yumuk had stood trial on the charge that during the 1993 "elections" he had distributed land plots in an illegal way.

[04] OIC support for Turkish Cypriot being sought

Addressing the meeting on behalf of Turkey, Celem briefed the Islamic Foreign Minister regarding the recent developments in Cyprus. He claimed that the nonsolution of the discord on the island, which has been continuing for years, stems from the lack of the political will needed for a solution on the part of the Greek Cypriots.

Celem alleged that the resumption of direct talks between the two communities will reduce the tension on the island. He claimed that regarding one of the sides in Cyprus as politically superior to the other constitutes the biggest obstacle to reaching a solution.

Celem reiterated Turkey's support for the goodwill mission of the UN Secretary General on the Cyprus issue and asked for the support of the Islamic community regarding the "TRNC".

[05] Denktash claims the EU is deceiving them

Denktash said the Turkish Cypriots are represented only by "elected officials".

Denktash added that they were not worried so far because the majority of those who went have defended the "Turkish cause". However", he claimed, "EU officials, by presenting as an example the people they gathered, mostly in London, and by saying that they have talked with the Turkish Cypriots, they are deceiving the world". In London, he said, there are not people who represent the Turkish Cypriots.

Meanwhile, according to illegal Bayrak radio (15:30 hours, 5.10.96) Republican Turkish Party leader Mehmet Ali Talat has criticized Denktash' statement that the Turkish Cypriot can only be represented by elected officials, adding: "Everybody can defend the community as well as Denktash can. Let him not worry."

Noting in a written statement on the issue that every Turkish Cypriot may hold talks with political officials all over the world in a responsible manner, Talat added: "It is extremely beneficial for EU officials to engage in a dialogue with Turkish Cypriots, be it in Cyprus or abroad. We believe that this should not be received with apprehension."

[06] Turkey "reconsidering" its original stand on EU membership

In this framework, the paper adds, Denktash begins a tour in Europe, with a first stop-over in Germany on 7 October 1996. There will follow a visit to Britain. The paper adds that Denktash will also visit France and Brussels, although the dates have not been fixed yet.

CUMHURIYET says that Denktash will meet with the Foreign Ministers of the countries he will visit and once the visit to Brussels is finalized he will meet with senior EU officials.

According to the paper, a diplomatic source has stated that "Among the countries that have started to flirt with the TRNC and among those that are getting ready to receive Denktash, there are indications for lifting the hidden and obvious embargo against it".

It adds that Turkey's going back on its original position regarding its and Cyprus' membership had started to be demonstrated since last year in the framework of the "Ciller secret plan". Furthermore, the paper says, last October Turkish Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary Inal Batu, who visited the occupied area, in a statement published in the Turkish Cypriot press had said: "Turkey's membership to the EU at the same time as the TRNC's membership is not a necessary precondition in the case that a federal Cyprus is at the doorstep of full EU membership. Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot side could ask for clear guarantees for Turkey's membership as well as for the date this membership will be realized." (A.Th)