Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-03-17

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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

No. 49/97 -- 15-17/3/97

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash claims emigration not result of political pressure

[02] Atun, Eroglu stress importance of turkish support

[03] Denktash exchanged views with Hannay, no new developments

[04] Evacuation of Turkish citizens from Albania started

[05] Turkish Foreign Ministry denies intention to withdraw from COE

[06] Turkey's foreign trade deficit increases

[07] British stand on asylum seekers seen as form of pressure and blackmail

[08] Serdar Denktash: We wish to participate in the EU accession process

[09] Oxford University Press donates material to college in the occupied area

[10] Land in occupied Vadili and Asha villages allocated by Denktash's regime

[11] Hakki Atun at the Islamic Conference summit

[A] News items

[01] Denktash claims emigration not result of political pressure

Replying to questions by illegal TAK (Turkish Cypriot News Agency) Denktash said: "It is being alleged that certain people acquire passports illegally by paying for them and then go to Britain. This will all be uncovered soon." Denktash said he had received reports that most of those who seek asylum in Britain are Turkish citizens who acquire so-called TRNC passports. He described the declarations about the need to eliminate the reasons for emigration as "deliberate attempts to sidetrack the issue." He said that unemployment is not the reason for emigration because there are 10 million unemployed in Europe. He said: "It is being said that the emigration issue is the result of political pressure. Everybody, including Britain, knows that there is no such thing in the TRNC. Britain is saying that (word indistinct), that it is a problem to grant them asylum, and that some of them will be turned back (words indistinct)."

Denktash denied that there is intensive emigration to various countries and to Canada in particular. He claimed that these are exaggerated allegations used by politicians.

[02] Atun, Eroglu stress importance of turkish support

A delegation from the Cankiri Chamber of Commerce and Industry met with Atun and "prime minister" Eroglu separately last Friday.

At the meeting, Atun said the Turkish Cypriots need Turkey's support to remain standing, live in security, and "survive the tricks and plots." Atun claimed that the Turkish Cypriots had set up their own "state" in order to live in security.

Dervis Eroglu said that visits by delegations from Turkey enable the "TRNC" to look to the future with confidence. He stressed that the "TRNC" was established together with Turkey and will be kept alive together with Turkey. He added that at a time when economic development takes first priority in the world, the "TRNC" will further advance with the support of its motherland.

Husnu Unal, who headed the delegation, said at both meetings that at a time of increased pressure on the Turkish Cypriots, the delegation came to the "TRNC" to show them that they are not alone.

[03] Denktash exchanged views with Hannay, no new developments

Hannay, who is visiting the island with a view to preparing the ground for direct talks between Denktash and President Clerides, met with the two leaders separately twice, but no statements were made after the meetings. Hannay held a news conference last Friday after which he left the island.

[04] Evacuation of Turkish citizens from Albania started

According to an Anatolia Agency report, the Adatepe frigate, which is waiting off the shore of Durres, will transport the approximately 300 Turkish citizens in Albania to the port of Bari in Italy.

[05] Turkish Foreign Ministry denies intention to withdraw from COE

This and similar reports do not reflect the truth. No Turkish official has ever said anything to that effect."

[06] Turkey's foreign trade deficit increases

Turkey's foreign trade deficit totaled $6.6 billion from January to July 1995. The amount increased by 69.2 percent to total $11.1663 billion in the same period in 1996. Exports stood at 64 percent of imports from January to July 1995. However, the amount decreased to 53.3 percent in the same period in 1996.

Turkey's imports on the basis of financial leasing totaled $474.3 million from January to July 1996. Its imports on the basis of financial leasing totaled $730.4 million in the same period in 1995. The figures indicated that the amount decreased by 35.1 percent.

According to the DIE, Turkey's exports totaled $1.911 billion and imports $3.8122 billion in July 1996. Compared with the same month in 1995, exports increased by 6.8 percent and imports by 32.5 percent in July 1996.

[07] British stand on asylum seekers seen as form of pressure and blackmail

Quoting unnamed political observers, YENI DEMOCRAT alleges that the issue of asylum seekers is an excuse with which the British are trying to exert heavy pressure.

The same observers claim that speaking of imposing visa requirements, the British are aimed at creating heavy pressure on the Denktash administration through Turkish Cypriot businessmen who have business relations with the UK as well as through those who have relatives in the UK and want to visit them.

Political observers further claimed that the British have no right to complain about Turkish Cypriot immigration to the UK because, they claim, it is the British who try everything in order to destroy the occupied areas' economy.

(MY)

[08] Serdar Denktash: We wish to participate in the EU accession process

[09] Oxford University Press donates material to college in the occupied area

The donations were handed over to the Director of the college, Vural Azicioglu.

(MY)

[10] Land in occupied Vadili and Asha villages allocated by Denktash's regime

YENI DEMOCRAT reports that in Vadili 26 and in Asha 47 plots of land were allocated to young people.

The paper purposely does not mention whether these people are Turkish Cypriots or settlers.

(MY)

[11] Hakki Atun at the Islamic Conference summit

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

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