Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 96-11-19

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TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No.208/96 19.11.96

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat criticizes attempt to hand over religious authority to Turkey.

[02] Turkey's Koc Group to operate the Salamis Bay Hotel.

[03] Ismet Kotak new "director" of illegal Bayrak.

[04] Proposal for a "Cyprus Holding".

[05] New NUP general-secretary.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat criticizes attempt to hand over religious authority to Turkey

Meanwhile, replying to a question at the end of his meeting with Rauf Denktash yesterday, "Prime Minister" Dervis Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriots are a devout Muslim community, and the allegations to the effect that the pseudostate is weak in terms of religion are exaggerated. Eroglu said that there might be certain deficiencies in the sphere of religion, but with their elimination, there will not be an reason to make such allegations.

[02] Turkey's Koc Group to operate the Salamis Bay hotel

If an agreement is reached between the occupied area's regime and the Koc Group then the management of the Salamis Bay Hotel will go under the Divan Hotels Chain of the Koc Group.

KIBRIS reports that negotiations between the occupied area and the Group's officials are going on for some time now. The Director General of the Koc Holding, Ali Etingu, had a meeting yesterday with Serdar Denktash, the so-called deputy Prime Minister of the pseudostate. Etingu has asked the occupation regime's stance as regards the renting of the complex.

Serdar Denktash has said that his impressions from the meeting were very positive. He added that they will provide every assistance to Koc Holding in case they start investing in the occupied area. (MY)

[03] Ismet Kotak new "director" of illegal Bayrak.

Kotak has said that following his "appointment" he will resign from the party leadership.

[04] Proposal for a "Cyprus Holding"

In an interview given to MILLIYET (18.11.96), when asked if she was concerned over the political instability and the economic structure in Cyprus, Mrs. Sidika Atalay answered: "I am of the view that a similar model to that of East Holding should be established. There is huge potential in Turkey. Cyprus has been considered as a risk area, but what is this risk in Cyprus? They refer to political instability, whatever that is. Our hands are tied because that is our southern post. Here in Turkey as well as down there an uncertainty is prevailing for a long time. If there are people who consider that investing in Cyprus is a risk, it is very difficult to understand it. The political instability in Cyprus is not greater than that in the East. Investments in Cyprus could be of a limited type in such a way that investors could consider it as a duty area like the 'East Holding Model'. And the Turkish business world should consider this as a duty."

When asked how could the Cyprus Holding be included on the business world's agenda, Mrs. Atalay said: "Economic contribution to the East has been considered a formula for the solution of existing problems there. One of the serious reasons for the problems in the East is economic, the destitution prevailing there. It is possible to think in a similar way for Cyprus as well. Moreover, there is no need to think of the dimensions of this model. It can be as big as the one for the East. With small contributions it is possible to create economic activity there". (MY)

[05] New NUP general-secretary