Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-06-13

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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. 106/97 -- 12-13.6.97

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Invitations for direct talks relayed.

[02] Foreign Office finds Denktash excuse `not convincing'.

[03] Military cautions: Fundamentalist nepotism threatens secular Turkey.

[04] Atun says Holbrooke should see "Reality of Sovereignty".

[05] Eroglu: Two statehoods, two peoples, sovereignty, Turkey's guarantee with right of intervention.

[06] 120 university students arrested in occupied Famagusta.

[07] Inal Batu raises "equality" issue to Sir David Hannay, excludes Britain as mediator.

[08] Denktash in Ankara.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Invitations for direct talks relayed

In a statement after his meeting with Feissel, Denktash said: "They said this is not the agenda they wanted, but the necessary material exists for conciliation. The material we want is included in the Set of Ideas."

Denktash declared that he accepted Annan's invitation.

In his statement after the meeting, Feissel announced that the meeting will be held on 9-13 July at a location near New York, but the venue has not been finalized yet. Feissel added that following the first meeting, the UN Secretary General plans to continue the talks in the coming months.

[02] Foreign Office finds Denktash excuse `not convincing'

Denktash has objected to meeting with Sir Hannay claiming that Hannay had disobeyed the "principle of equality" between the two sides when he referred to Denktash as "acting president" while he called President Glafcos Clerides "the president" of the island.

A Foreign Office spokesman said Sir Hannay had previously used similar terminology. "For that reason there could be no justification to Mr. Denktash's action", the spokesman stated.

[03] Military cautions: Fundamentalist nepotism threatens secular Turkey

According to the military, radical fundamentalist activities and nepotism in state offices, aimed at changing the secular, democratic regime of the Turkish Republic and attempting to establish a form of political Islam based on religious rules, had reached a dangerous level.

The Turkish General Staff continued its week-long series of briefings on radical Islamist activities on Wednesday for a group of selected journalists, voicing its deep worries over increasing radical Islamist activities in Turkey and the negligence of certain circles within Turkey, including the Islamist-led coalition government, toward such dangerous developments.

The General Staff Intelligence Bureau Chief Lt. Gen.

Cetin Saner and his aide anti-intelligence bureau chief Major General Fevzi Turkeri presented the briefing. The military said that if necessary, the Turkish Armed Forces would be used to protect the country's democratic and secular system that separates the state and religion, adding that its authority to protect and defend the republic comes from both Turkish laws and the Constitution. The military called on all citizens to do their duty, saying that it was the principal duty of every secularist and democratic citizen who loved his country not to remain neutral but to act against the increasing reactionary threat.

[04] Atun says Holbrooke should see "Reality of Sovereignty"

He alleged that the failure to correctly diagnose this attitude is the major inconsistency of those countries which want to contribute to the reconciliation of the two communities in Cyprus.

Atun added: "It is incomprehensible that the Greek Cypriot side, which wanted to unite Cyprus with Greece, is told:

`You are still the legal side, and you have the right of say and sovereignty right over all of Cyprus'.

"No sanctions are used," he claimed, "to force the Greek Cypriot side to find a solution at the table. This is the key point and cause which the world should diagnose so as to find a solution for the Cyprus problem. Putting forward the same claims, the Greek Cypriot side hopes and thinks that it could extend its sovereignty in the form of a unitary Cyprus Republic. This is a vain delusion. If they continue to entertain such ideas they will end up getting nothing".

Stressing that there is no minority and majority problem in Cyprus, Atun said: "A federal republic based on political equality should be set up."

Arguing that the appointment of Richard Holbrooke as the special envoy for Cyprus by the United States is not that important, Atun said: "Our minimum conditions are known. Our sovereignty is extremely important to us. In the past an attempt was made to wrest away our sovereignty. This evil cannot be done to us for a second time, we will not allow it. No matter how skillful a negotiator, Holbrooke, too, must see this reality. The Turkish Cypriot people cannot be pushed into a solution where it cannot determined its own de stiy. The political equality is the key for a solution. This not a problem of minority and majority."

[05] Eroglu: Two statehoods, two peoples, sovereignty, Turkey's guarantee with right of intervention

In a special interview with ZAMAN on the summit to be held between Rauf Denktash and President Glafcos Clerides next July under the auspices of the UN Secretary General, and on the developments in the "TRNC", Eroglu claimed that President Clerides' aim is not to sign an agreement but merely to gain the EU's favour.

Pointing out that it will not be possible to force the Turkish troops off the island and to eliminate the existing guarantee system, Eroglu indicated that no positive results will emerge from the meeting between Denktash and President Clerides.

Eroglu listed the Turkish Cypriot side's "inalienable principles" thus: "Two statehoods, two peoples, sovereignty, Turkey's effective and de facto guarantee that would also include the right of intervention, and the abandonment of the idea of a multinational force." Nothing less could satisfy us, he added.

Pointing out that the absence of a stable government in Turkey may sharpen the appetite of some circles, Eroglu claimed:

"Pressure applied by the United States could act as a means for the Greek Cypriots to maintain their intransigence. Other sides wanting to take advantage of this might enter the scene".

Alleging that the United States, the EU, England, Russia, and some countries have inflamed the Cyprus issue, Eroglu said that this is wrong.

Speaking on the water shortage problem in Cyprus, Eroglu indicated that a meeting will be held in Ankara on this subject in the coming days and if successfully concluded water will be brought to the "TRNC" by an undersea pipeline. Eroglu noted that the water will be brought by an undersea suspension pipeline, and that this project will cost $200-250 million.

[06] 120 university students arrested in occupied Famagusta

The seven idealist youths were taken to "court" in occupied Famagusta.

Several other suspects are at large and the "police" are making an effort to arrest them.

[07] Inal Batu raises "equality" issue to Sir David Hannay, excludes Britain as mediator

Sir David Hannay had a meeting in Ankara with Ambassador Batu. After the meeting Batu told the journalists that he had told Sir David Hannay that although Britain is one of the guarantor powers in Cyprus, it is out of question for Turkey to accept Britain to play a mediator's role or to prepare a settlement plan for Cyprus.

He said that he had told Sir David Hannay that Turkey is bound to the negotiation process, carried out under the auspices of the UN, that Ankara supported and encouraged the negotiations, and that it wants to see progress and success in the talks.

Inal Batu also said that he drew Hannay's attention to the statement allegedly made by President Clerides that the Greek Cypriots go to New York in order not to be the side that undermines the talks before the eyes of the European Union. Batu said that he stressed to Hannay that if the EU starts membership negotiations with Cyprus, then Turkey will put into practice the conditions stipulated in the so-called Demirel-Denkash understanding reached on 20 January, 1997 and will consider all the parameters regarding Cyprus as null and void.

The Turkish official said that he had a very useful meeting with the British official adding that Ankara considers Sir David Hannay's efforts as assisting the UN Secretary General to solve the problem. This, he added, is valid to all coordinators including US Presidential emissary, Richard Holbrooke.

Sir David Hannay, in his turn, when asked why he had given weight on the "Greek side" during his contacts in Cyprus said that his government recognizes that side as the government of Cyprus, and that equality will be observed in New York.

Sir David branded Denktash's refusal to meet him as unfortunate and the talk they had later as very useful.

David Hannay also met with State Minister Abdullah Gul and deputy chief of Staff General Cevik Bir.

[08] Denktash in Ankara

Turkish President Suleyman Demirel will present the prize to Denktash.

Denktash, while in Ankara, will have a meeting with a Turkish Foreign Ministry delegation. (MY)

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

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