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Saturday, 23 November 2024
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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-06-23Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIANo. 111/97 -- 21-22-23.6.97[A] NEWS ITEMS
[A] NEWS ITEMS[01] Ciller on EU issue: Joint Committee after a solutionAccording to Ankara TRT Television network (22.6.97) Tansu Ciller, deputy prime minister and foreign minister, has said the following in a statement she issued: "Only after an agreement is secured on a solution to the Cyprus issue can a joint committee, in which the Turkish Cypriot and the Greek Cypriot communities will be equally represented, engage in expansion discussions with the EU. These discussions, in turn, can only be held after the talks on Turkey's full EU membership are started.Turkey expressed this view clearly to all concerned parties. Starting talks with southern Cyprus will only make it more difficult to find a solution to the Cyprus issue and may drive the Turkish Cypriots to pursue other possibilities. We expect the EU to take into consideration the explicit obligations stated in the international law with regard to this issue." [02] Turkish Foreign Ministry says amnesty report `worthless'According to Ankara TRT Television network (20.6.97), Turkey has termed the section of the Amnesty International report that concerns Turkey a worthless report that distorts facts and aims at slandering the country. The Amnesty International report covers a total of 151 countries.A Foreign Ministry statement on the subject notes that the report's section on Turkey was studied and that it was observed that the "negative, misleading, and deliberate attitude adopted by the organization in its previous reports is prevalent in this report as well." Claiming that in order to perpetuate its previous allegations, Amnesty International resorted to generalizations, the Foreign Ministry statement remarks that the report overlooks many judicial decisions and engages in deliberate interpretations. The statement says that the report fails to mention any of the improvements introduced by Turkey in the field of human rights and that Amnesty International was careful no to label the PKK (Workers Party of Kurdistan) a terrorist organization in the report. The statement claims: "We find this report worthless. It is a report that distorts facts, fails to respect judicial decisions, and aims to publicly slander Turkey by means of arbitrary and warped statements under the guise of democracy and human rights ideals. As we stated in the past, from Turkey's standpoint Amnesty International continues to be an organization that lacks credibility or prestige". [03] Turkish naval ships depart from occupied Famagusta, Kyrenia portsAccording to the illegal Bayrak radio (20.6.97) the Turkish naval ships that visited the occupied ports of Famagusta and Kyrenia within the framework of the Sea Wolf-97 exercises left the occupied area today. Farewell ceremonies were held at the ports on the occasion of the departure of the three frigates, three assault boats, and three submarines, which were commanded by Vice Admiral Taner Uzunay.[04] Ciller claims Cyprus cannot become EU member before TurkeyAccording to Ankara TRT television network (22.6.97) Turkey has said that it is unacceptable for anybody to engage in expansion discussions with the EU on behalf of Cyprus before the Cyprus issue is resolved or before the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders reach a conciliation on this issue. Tansu Ciller, deputy prime minister and foreign minister, issued a statement claiming once again that Cyprus cannot become a EU member before Turkey.Explaining that Maurice Mendelson, professor of international law, prepared a legal report on this issue, Ciller said that Turkey's views were confirmed in this report. British professor Mendelson expresses in his report that the Cyprus government cannot even submit an application for EU membership and that Britain and Greece, as guarantor countries, are responsible for preventing the Greek Cypriot side's application to the EU. Ciller added that she sent the legal report prepared by Prof. Mendelson to the British Secretary of State with an official letter attached and that she informed the Dutch EU term presidency of the issue. Ciller claimed that engaging in expansion discussions with the EU on behalf of Cyprus before the Cyprus issue is resolved or before the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders reach an agreement is against international law and agreements. [05] Denktash to France, `Expected to Meet' Foreign MinisterAccording to illegal Bayrak radio (22.6.97) Denktash is going to Paris today. He left the occupied area this morning. He will attend the opening of an exhibition where his photographs will be displayed along with other photos. He will also lecture at the International Institute of Foreign Policy on the Cyprus issue.Denktash, who will be going to France for the first time after many years, is expected to meet with the French Foreign Minister. [06] Denktash: Reassessment necessary if New York talks failAccording to illegal Bayrak radio (19.6.97) Turkish Cypriot community leader Rauf Denktash has declared that if the summit to be held in New York fails to yield any results, the Turkish Cypriots will be obliged to conduct a reassessment of the situation. Denktash was a guest at a program hosted by Zulfi Livaneli on NTV, which is broadcast in Turkey.Commenting on the recent developments concerning the Cyprus issue, Denktash repeated his known views that the time has come for the world to say "stop to the injustices inflicted on the Turkish Cypriots." Denktash remarked that the establishment of the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" blocked the road to Greek Cypriot goals. Denktash stated that the "TRNC" constitutes the symbol of the Turkish Cypriots' equality, sovereignty, and rights in Cyprus. [06] Bora to TehranAccording to KIBRIS (20.6.97) a so-called delegation from the "Municipalities Union" headed by Semi Bora is to leave the occupied area for Tehran, Iran, to attend the "Islamic Capitals and Towns Organization" meeting.The delegation will return next Thursday to the occupied area. (MY) [07] Ecevit: "Turkey is in need of the TRNC"According to YENIDUZEN (18.6.97), Bulent Ecevit, the leader of the Democratic Left Party in Turkey and the then Turkish Prime Minister who ordered Turkish troops to invade and occupy Cyprus in 1974, has declared that Cyprus carries great weight regarding Turkey's security.Speaking at the Turkish Exporters Council's General Assembly Ecevit called on the businessmen to invest in the occupied area. Pointing out Cyprus' importance for Turkey, Ecevit alleged that "if Cyprus is taken over by an enemy state Turkey will be under a threat." He further alleged that the long range missiles will be a threat not only to the southern shores of Turkey but to the Black Sea shores as well. "The TRNC is Turkey's security line" Ecevit said and added: "From the security point of view Turkey is in need of the TRNC". He urged to increase the number of cooperation protocols between Turkey and the occupied area. (MY) [08] German Ambassador to Turkey: "The key to European door is in Cyprus".In an interview to MILLIYET (23.6.97) correspondent Zehra Gungor, Germany's Ambassador to Turkey Dr. Hans Joachim Vergau, referred to the Cyprus problem as well. When asked: "Can Cyprus become an EU member before Turkey?", the German Ambassador answered: "The EU does not intend to take Cyprus prior to the settlement of the problems in Cyprus. Germany wants Turkish Cypriots as well to take part in the negotiations. With the settlement in Cyprus, an obstacle before Turkey's European path would have been removed. Apart from this Turkey is a semi-continent, and Cyprus is a small island.Of course the acceptance conditions for a small island will be different than that of a semi-continent." (MY) MY/SK From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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