Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-08-07

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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. 144/97 -- 7.8.97

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] TEXT OF THE "ASSOCIATION COUNCIL AGREEMENT"

[02] SEZGIN AFFIRMS CYPRUS POLICY UNCHANGED

[03] NEW 'APPOINTEES' IN THE OCCUPIED AREA REPORTED

[04] DENKTASH SPEAKS TO TURKISH OFFICERS'

[05] TURKISH ENVOY - "EU ATTITUDE CHANGES NATURE OF CYPRUS ISSUE"

[06] TURKEY'S CEM SIGNS "AGREEMENT" WITH OCCUPIED AREA DEPARTS

[07] TALAT SAYS 'NO' TO INTEGRATION

[08] REACTION TO THE "ASSOCIATION COUNCIL AGREEMENT"

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] TEXT OF THE "ASSOCIATION COUNCIL AGREEMENT"

"1. An Association Council will be established between the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

2. The Association Council will draw the measures between the two countries concerning an economic and financial integration, and based on partnership a partial integration, on security, defence and foreign policy issues, it will advise the parties to the agreement to implement these measures, and monitor their implementations.

3. The Association Council will take its advisory decisions upon mutual agreement of both parties.

4. The Association Council will be constituted by five members from each country, appointed by the respective governments and five members from the Turkish Grand National Assembly and five members from the TRNC Republican Assembly.

5. Experts can participate in the Association Council when required according to the subject matter of the discussion.

6. Unless otherwise required, the Association Council will meet at least, once in every six months.

7. The Association Council might establish subcommittees it needs.

8. The Association Council could meet at an expert level, if considered necessary.

9. The members of the government that would participate in the Association Council will be appointed by both countries' governments. And the members of the parliaments will be determined by the Assembly chairmanships.

10. The Association Council meetings will take place in rotation in Turkey and the TRNC. The Council chairmanship will be rotatingly run six months by Turkey and the TRNC.

11. The chairman of the meeting will determine the agenda of the Association Council meetings and inform the other side 15 days before the meeting, will compile the transcription of the decisions taken during the meeting, and will convey them to the other side.

12. In the Association Council meetings, the post of the secretariat will be carried out by the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Turkey and the Foreign and Defense Ministries of the TRNC.

This agreement shall be in force after the parties complete the process of ratification and exchange the ratification documents.

This agreement has been signed in Turkish in Nicosia on 6 August 1997".

[02] SEZGIN AFFIRMS CYPRUS POLICY UNCHANGED

Answering reporters' questions on the foreign policy meeting held at the Cankaya Mansion yesterday, Sezgin declared that the Cyprus policy Turkey has been pursuing for the past 30 years is based on solid foundations. "We noted that the policy we have been pursuing and implementing until now will continue in the future as well, that the problems must be resolved through a dialogue, that our conciliatory stand will continue, and that we will continue to exert efforts to turn Cyprus into an island of peace, stability, and tranquillity."

[03] NEW 'APPOINTEES' IN THE OCCUPIED AREA REPORTED

Aytug Plumer, from the so-called "Ministerial Undersecretariat", was appointed representative of the pseudostate in New York; and Ahmet Erdengiz, from the so-called "Political Affairs Directorate", was appointed representative of the pseudostate in Washington. Both appointees took their offices as of 1 August.

[04] DENKTASH SPEAKS TO TURKISH OFFICERS'

In a speech at the meeting, Denktash stressed the importance of the Turkish regiment, adding: "The greatest happiness of the Turkish Cypriots was when the Turkish regiment arrived here in 1960. Despite the existenc e of this 650-strong Turkish regiment here, as the guarantee of Turkey and of peace, he said, everybody knows what the Greek Cypriots have been up to." Denktash said that during the talks for an agreement now, the Greek Cypriots are trying to water down Turkey's guarantees. They are trying to have another trump card in their hands by deploying a multinational force on the island.

Calling on the people, Denktash said that the people must assess what the Greek Cypriots say very well, and added: I do not want our people to believe in the propaganda that Denktash failed to catch another opportunity for an agreement.

Denktash alleged that the Greek Cypriots believe they have the only right of say regarding membership in the EU. That, he said, is a ploy to separate us from Turkey.

Denktash stressed that "no concessions will be made from the rights that were defended with blood, sweat, and tears; from equality; from sovereignty; from the principle that Cyprus cannot join the EU without Turkey; or from the unchangeable rights granted by international agreements."

[05] TURKISH ENVOY - "EU ATTITUDE CHANGES NATURE OF CYPRUS ISSUE"

Batu said that in the wake of the recent EU decision, the Cyprus issue changed its nature, adding that all the principles that were valid in the past are no longer valid. He stressed that the attitude of the EU disrupted the outside balances, namely the balances that must exist between Turkey and Greece with regard to Cyprus. Batu remarked that Turkey took the necessary steps towards integration with the occupied area in order to evade this situation. Batu said that the visit to be paid by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem today will reaffirm the unity and solidarity between the "two countries." He pointed out that the steps to be taken on the path to integration will also be reviewed during Cem's visit. In reply to a question, Batu said that there is no question of Denktash visiting Ankara before the Montreux talks.

[06] TURKEY'S CEM SIGNS "AGREEMENT" WITH OCCUPIED AREA DEPARTS

In a statement before the signing of the agreement on the establishment of a partnership council with Turkey, Denktash said that Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem's visit to the occupied area today constitutes a historic day for the Turkish Cypriots. Pointing out that the Partnership Council is very important, Denktash stressed the significance of discussing the cooperation and contacts to be conducted between the two states on an official and high level. He remarked that vital issues were discussed during the talks between the two delegations, adding that views were also exchanged regarding the intercommunal talks to be held in Switzerland.

He said: "I am pleased to state that we are in full agreement with our motherland on every issue. As always, we are determined to pursue this common and vital cause in an atmosphere of mutual trust and cooperation. Naturally, these contacts will expand and develop further after we return from Switzerland.

In his statement before signing the agreement, Cem said that he conveyed Turkey's respect and support to Denktash with best wishes. Cem stressed that the agreements constitute another step towards the implementation of the decisions adopted earlier. Noting that Turkey attaches great significance to the Partnership Council to be established between the two "countries' governments", Cem expressed the belief that the provisions of the agreement will contribute to the common cause, to the people of the two countries, and to regional and world peace. The Turkish foreign minister also expressed the hope that the agreement will help to establish peace, brotherhood, and development in the occupied area.

In a predeparture statement at occupied Tymbou Airport, the Turkish foreign minister declared that the decisions adopted between the two countries will be implemented. The decisions were not adopted just for the sake of it, Cem noted, adding that the framework of their implementation was outlined in the 21 January Turkish Grand National Assembly decision. Cem said that his government is pursuing an intelligent, careful, and peaceful policy, rather than a policy of reaction. He added: "We are trying to pursue a policy that underlines the happiness, the prosperity, and future of the people of Cyprus."

[07] TALAT SAYS 'NO' TO INTEGRATION

Talat said that Turkish interests and Turkish Cypriot interests differ from one another when it comes to the European Union. He said he believes that Turkey is using its role in mediating the Cyprus conflict to impose its EU bid on the union.

"I also oppose the membership of Greek Cyprus to the EU without there being a solution to the conflict. We favour the accession of a federal Cyprus, whereas, he said, Ankara and the Denktash administration think the Greek side would achieve a certain enosis if ever Cyprus becomes a member to EU before Turkey."

Ankara has maintained that the above thesis would transpire, based on the fact that it has Guarantor rights deriving from agreements signed in 1960 establishing the 'Republic of Cyprus.' Talat said the views he has expressed reflect the opinions of two opposition parties as well as numerous labour and teacher unions on the Turkish side of the island.

"It is my belief that if a referendum was to be held on the island, Turkish Cypriots would say 'yes' to EU membership, with rights and their securities preserved with agreements", Talat maintained.

He continued saying that Cyprus's accession to the EU is in the interest of Turkey as well as the isolated Turkish side of the island, and special agreements could be made to prevent enosis with Greece.

"Turkey would have an ally in the south, arms build-up on the island would cease, Turkish will be an official EU language and there will be a Turkish Cypriot foreign minister representing the federation," Talat maintained. Talat told TDN they are strongly against a political integration with Turkey, but favour integrating Turkish Cyprus into the economic globalization with Europe, as well as with Turkey.

Having met Defense Minister Ismet Sezgin and other deputies in his visit to Ankara, Talat said he fears both leaders of the island could hamper a solution to the Cyprus conflict through UN-sponsored direct talks, the second of which is scheduled for Monday.

He emphasized that Cordovez's non-paper on the conflict is almost identical to the Ghali's Set of Ideas 90 percent of which Denktash had accepted at the time they were proposed.

Talat, whose party once took power in the occupied area said the occupied area's economy is made "Turkish", Talat said there are many illegal Turkish workers who work in the occupied area.

Pointing out to the seriousness of immigration problem Talat says there are more Turkish Cypriots living in Britain than in the occupied area, strongly opposing that the figure would drop to indicate a Turkish minority rather then an equal community on the island.

He also added that some Turkish capital uses ventures to the island for money laundring purposes, whatever the case Talat says their economic existance cannot survive without Turkey's assistance, however indicating that there have been 14 economic protocols signed between the occupied area and Turkey, "if only the half of these protocols were fully implemented, TRNC's economy could have reached great improvement."

Main opposition party underlined an integration on foreign policy and defense is a "mistake" and that would distance from TRNC's and Turkey's thesis that it is an independent state.

[08] REACTION TO THE "ASSOCIATION COUNCIL AGREEMENT"

Republic Turkish Party (RTP) Secretary General Ferdi Sabit Sayor, reacted against the "agreement" and said that such decisions will negatively effect the Turkish side. He added: "This development is not a well calculated step in paving the way before the Turkish side".

Sayor revealed that the so-called Association Council agreement was not discussed neither by the political parties nor in any Turkish Cypriot institution nor in so-called "Assembly" nor in the so-called "Council of Ministers". (MY)

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

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