Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press And Other Media, 97-01-14

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TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No.8/97 14.1.97

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Ciller to visit Cyprus soon; Denktash expected in Turkey.

[02] Denktash meets Cavanaugh.

[03] Turkey's Chief of General Staff in Cyprus.

[04] Denktash on possibly joining EU "as two separate states".

[05] Turkey's General Staff reacts against Dayton-style plan for Cyprus.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Ciller to visit Cyprus soon; Denktash expected in Turkey

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ambassador Omer Akbel, replying to questions at his weekly news conference organized for the foreign press, said that Ciller will be visiting the "TRNC" but that the date has not yet been fixed. Akbel noted that Rauf Denktash will be arriving in Turkey soon with the aim of holding consultations. Replying to questions in connection with Chief of Staff General Ismail Hakki Karadayi's visit to the "TRNC", Akbel said that this visit is significant in that it shows Turkey's determination regarding the Cyprus issue.

[02] Denktash meets Cavanaugh

Greek Cypriot initiatives to purchase the S-300 missiles, demilitarization, and the recent developments in the Cyprus question were discussed at the meeting which lasted for some 70 minutes. The US Ambassador to Nicosia, the second secretary of the US Embassy, "Foreign Affairs and Defense Minister Taner Etkin", "presidential" advisers Necati Munir Ertegun and Ergin Olgun, and the "presidential political affairs director" were also present at the meeting.

In a statement after the meeting, Denktash said that Cavanaugh told him that he was assured by President Clerides that no missile parts will arrive on the island during his presidential term, in other words for another 16 months. Denktash added that Cavanaugh told him that this will give some time to both sides and that it will help to calm the situation. Denktash reported Cavanaugh as saying: "The United States does not want the missiles to be deployed. It will not accept their deployment. The United States believes that this is not right."

Cavanaugh said that he held a very beneficial meeting with Denktash. He added that the United States is against the purchase of the S-300 missiles and that at the meeting he held with President Clerides he saw that they share the view that no missile parts will be arriving on the island during his presidential term which is for at least another 16 months. Cavanaugh added that the UN proposals aimed at reducing the "border" tension were also discussed at the meeting.

[03] Turkey's Chief of General Staff in Cyprus

In a welcoming speech, Denktash said that relations with "motherland Turkey" are permanent and lasting, adding: "We are people who rely on Turkey's guarantorship and who believe that we do not have a future without it."

Gen. Karadayi said in a speech at the airport that the Turkish Cypriots are special for Turkey. He then made some general assessments about the Cyprus problem. He claimed that the Turkish Armed Forces have been ensuring the security of the Turkish Cypriots for the past 22 years.

The chief of the General Staff criticized the efforts to change the basis of the negotiations that were conducted within the framework of the UN Secretary General's goodwill mission. He claimed : "It would be useful for everyone to know that the unilateral Greek Cypriot membership in the EU is illegal and that we will never allow it."

General Karaday criticized the fact that the Cyprus Government is considered the only state in Cyprus. He also criticized Greece, and condemned the Greek-Greek Cypriot joint defense doctrine. He claimed that Turkey is threatened from the south by this joint defense doctrine. Karadayi referred to the Cyprus Government's decision to buy S-300 missiles, adding: "We should not be expected to remain mere observers in this situation." He concluded: "The Turkish Cypriot presence in Cyprus will exist forever under Turkey's uninterrupted guarantee. Turkey will not allow any initiative to weaken its rights, which are based on international agreements. Furthermore, it will fully maintain its legal and de facto guarantee for the Turkish Cypriot people. Turkey and the Turkish Armed Forces are capable of fulfilling that task and they have the resources they need to do so. Everything that is necessary will be done. No one must doubt that."

[04] Denktash on possibly joining EU 'as two separate states"

[05] Turkey's General Staff reacts against Dayton-style plan for Cyprus

"Such a plan would obviously harm the interests of Turkey and the TRNC, and would bring new foreign military powers to the island, ending the existence of the United Nations and Turkish forces. That means Turkey's right as a guarantor state to protect the interests, rights and integrity of the TRNC would be damaged, and thus Turkey could be forced to watch developments that may hurt Turkish Cypriots living on the island," said the military source.

He pointed out that such an undertaking on the island would create a permanent foreign military force, adding that Turkey does not want to see such a presence. "As a guarantor state, Turkey can protect its own and TRNC's rights by itself, and will never withdraw its soldiers from the island."

The Office of the Chief of General Staff also reacted against US and British peace efforts in Cyprus, saying that all attempts to settle peace and stability must be carried out under the umbrella and control of the UN and should be well-intentioned. Other single-nation efforts cannot be accepted unless they come under UN control, because they could bring new balances to the island, pointed out the source. MY/EF/SK