Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-03-11

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash criticizes Rifkind remarks.

[02] Denktash: Indirect talks on 10 March nothing new.

[03] Denktash claims no knowledge of meeting with President Clerides.

[04] Denktash meets Feissel, cancels other contacts due to flu.

[05] Denktash-Annan meeting to take place last week of March.

[06] Eroglu says federation proposal not a 'reasonable' solution.

[07] Eroglu calls for directs talks, rejects President Clerides'terms.

[08] Serdar Denktash meets European parliamentarians in Brussels.

[09] German parliamentarians urge Turkey for a federal Cyprus solution.

[10] Denktash replies to Talat remarks, talks of EU.

[11] Feissel meets with Denktash.

[12] Denktash taken ill.

[13] 150 billion TL allocated for enlightenment by the pseudo-state.

[14] Turkish Cypriot delegation to help prepare education "protocol" with Turkey.

[15] Briton residing in the occupied area has gone missing.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash criticizes Rifkind remarks

Denktash said that the so-called Assembly can pass a resolution suspending the talks if necessary. "At the current stage, however, we will continue to explain our position", he said. Not participating in the negotiations is another policy, another decision, Denktash added.

Denktash was commenting on remarks by British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Fifkind, who assured the Greek Cypriots in London that Britain will never recognize the "TRNC", that the EU accession talks will be held with the Cyprus Government, and that Britain would like to see the Turkish Cypriots in these talks.

Denktash claimed that Rifkind and his party will participate in elections in May and therefore he may have said certain things to win the hearts of the Greek Cypriot voters. Denktash said that if Britian insists on meeting with the legitimate Cyprus Government, the Turkish Cypriots will say: "Bon voyage, we will not board this train".

Replying to questions by illegal TAK (Turkish Cypriot News Agency), Denktash claimed that it is difficult to understand how Britain, which is trying to act as a catalyst between the two sides, supports the Cyprus Government and looks down on the Turkish Cypriots. "As long as this injustice continues, naturally we cannot look warmly towards Britain's proposals or mediation", he added.

Asked to comment on Rifkind's remarks that none of the EU countries intend to recognize the "TRNC", Denktash said: "In that case, they should leave us alone". Denktash concluded by saying that if the Europeans want Cyprus to join the EU as a united and bizonal federation, they must accept the "TRNC's" existence and equality.

[02] Denktash: Indirect talks on 10 March nothing new

Denktash said that contacts are being held to explore the possible grounds for a federation, and the talks that were to be held last week were postponed to Monday because he had a bad case of flu. He said: "If the arms build-up, the missile deployment, and the problems of granting air and naval bases to Greece continue, we will consider the countermeasures we will take".

[03] Denktash claims no knowledge of meeting with President Clerides

Denktash was commenting on remarks by Feissel who, after watching Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot elementary school children plant trees together, said that Pyla should be an example for Cyprus. Denktash alleged: "Nobody is opposed to a rapprochement between the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. We must also know, however, how to defend ourselves against persons who say: We are your government."

Denktash said that he has no information about the reports that he is going to meet with President Clerides within one month. He added: "We follow the line of the 10 January joint declaration with Turkey. Feissel and everybody else know this very well. If we are going to meet within one month, that means that the 10 January line has been accepted".

[04] Denktash meets Feissel, cancels other contacts due to flu

It began at 12.30. It was attended by Peter Schmidt, Feissel's political adviser, Necati Munir Ertekun, "presidential special adviser" for political affairs; and Mustafa Evren, "presidential political affairs director". The meeting was closed to the press. Because of his bad flu, Denktash canceled all his appointments except for his meeting with Feissel.

[05] Denktash-Annan meeting to take place last week of March

According to an Anatolia Agency report, work on convening the summit between Rauf Denktash and President Glafcos Clerides in New York in May is under way. It has been reported that the UN Secretary General is ready to meet with Denktash after the Clerides-Annan meeting in Davos and that Denktash will go to New York for this meeting.

Sources close to the United Nations reported that the date of the Denktash- Annan meeting has not been fixed yet and added: "Work to this end is under way, and the meeting is expected to take place the last week of March".

[06] Eroglu says federation proposal not a 'reasonable' solution

He also claimed that if a lasting peace is to be established in Cyprus, "the fact that there are two states in Cyprus must be acknowledged".

Eroglu alleged that what must be done in Cyprus from now on is to sign a peace agreement that will develop the good-neighbour relations "between the two states". He claimed that the federation proposal is not reasonable as a solution to the Cyprus problem. He further alleged that a federation would eliminate the Turkish Cypriot presence. He concluded by saying that a strong economy and job opportunities are needed to ensure the continued presence of the Turkish Cypriot population.

[07] Eroglu calls for directs talks, rejects President Clerides' terms

Recalling that the Turkish Cypriot side had already issued statements to the effect that the necessary grounds for a meeting exist, Eroglu added:

"Clerides is the one who says that there are no common grounds for a meeting. According to him, the guarantee and alliance agreements must be eliminated, the Turkish soldiers withdrawn from Cyprus, the Turkish refugees returned, and the issue of sovereignty removed from the agenda in order to secure common grounds for a meeting. It is impossible for us to accept these proposals".

Reiterating his claim that common grounds for meetings exist, Eroglu said:

"The Greek Cypriots must come to the table and start to hold direct talks. Work on holding direct talks will be undertaken in the wake of indirect talks. Only time will tell whether the two sides will sit at the negotiations table".

[08] Serdar Denktash meets European parliamentarians in Brussels

In Brussels, Denktash met with European Parliament (EP) members.

Denktash met with British parliamentarian Richard (name indistinct), who is an EP member, and briefed him on the recent Cyprus developments and the Turkish Cypriot stand. He claimed that there are two separate and sovereign administrations on the island, alleging that as long as the Cyprus Government is recognised as the legitimate government of Cyprus one should not expect a solution in Cyprus.

After the meeting, in which relations between the EP and the Turkish Cypriot political parties were also discussed, Denktash said that the British parliamentarian will visit the occupied area in the near future.

[09] German parliamentarians urge Turkey for a federal Cyprus solution

[10] Denktash replies to Talat remarks, talks of EU

Denktash said: "Talat took only the words 'we would suspend the talks', from my remarks and commented on them. If you read my entire statement, you will see that it warns against a dangerous course of events and pressures".

Denktash said that certain persons in the pseudostate have also played a role in this portrayal as the intransigent party in Cyprus. He alleged that he is portrayed as intransigent because of certain domestic political conflicts, because of a lack of knowledge about the past, or because of certain wrong fixed ideas that come from the past.

Denktash added: "It is impossible for us to join the EU if Turkey is not a member. There are many reasons, for that".

Denktash claimed that the diplomats have shown the Greek Cypriots other ways of eliminating the 1960 guarantee system, one of them being the multinational force.

He said that the Turkish Cypriots insist on Turkey's rights as established by the 1960 agreement.

He stated that "if the intercommunal talks are turned into a tool for making Cyprus an EU member when Turkey is still not a member, then the Turkish Cypriots will not accept that". He added: "If the talks bring us to the point of being ejected from our homes, are we supposed to go on with the talks? Cyprus was not born as a fully independent state, its independence is limited", Denktash claimed.

[11] Feissel meets with Denktash

During the meeting, speeding up the efforts that will enable the two leaders to hold direct meetings was discussed. He asked Feissel to confirm that, unlike what Government Spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides said, the meetings will not be held between the Cyprus Government and the Turkish Cypriot community, but (1X - 9 -

between the leaders of the two communities, and within the framework of the goodwill mission of the UN secretary general. Feissel said: "We are interested in the intercommunal talks. There is no other factor in the intercommunal talks". According to illegal Bayrak, Feissel reiterated that the talks will resume between the two equal communities.

[12] Denktash taken ill

The paper says that cardiologist Prof. Dr Dervis Oral of the Ibni Sina Hospital in Ankara went to the occupied area during the weekend and examined Denktash who also underwent a general check-up.

The paper adds that following the Denktash's recent heart attack and the subsequent threatment, some difficulties appeared and as a result Denktash put on an extra weight of 4-5 kilos.

YENIDUZEN says that it is possible that next week Denktash will go to Ankara for a heart and general check-up.

(MY)

[13] 150 billion TL allocated for enlightenment by the pseudo-state

The same amount has been allocated for enlightenment and promotion of the pseudo-state for the 1997 fiscal year as well, reports KIBRIS.

The main fields in the enlightenment campaigns, says the paper, are the publications of brochures, posters as well as promotion work carried out during fairs.

During 1996, 47 billion 6 million 443 thousand and 945 TL was spent to this effect. The main target of the enlightenment and promotion campaign are the Europeans.

The paper gives a list of the trade and tourism fairs that the pseudo-state took part in in various countries. They are: Bern, Zurich, Manchester, Dublin, Helsinki, Vienna, Kiev, WTM (UK), Leipzig, Azerbaidjan, Pakistan, Cardiff, Berlin, Hungary, MITT Moscow, Belfast, Blackpool, Hamburg, London, Nurnberg, Doncaster, Izmir and Ankara.

(MY)

[14] Turkish Cypriot delegation to help prepare education "protocol" with Turkey

[15] Briton residing in the occupied area has gone missing

Kibris says that McManus is missing since he went for a walk in the woods along with his two dogs. The two dogs are also missing.

The paper says that McManus is a diabetic and one of his legs is crippled. A team of twenty men is searching for him for the last three days. KIBRIS reports that the search will continue today as well.

(MY)

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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