Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-08-19

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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. 151/97 -- 19.8.97

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Minister Gurel's surprise visit to the occupied area.

[02] Talat: Glion showed damage caused by wrong Turkish remarks.

[03] Ankara claims EU has `thrown spanner' into `Cyprus works'.

[04] Report on press rights in Turkey.

[05] Work and residence permits granted to illegal Turkish workers in the pseudostate.

[06] Basic points of new Cordovez document.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Minister Gurel's surprise visit to the occupied area

Gurel will spend his weekend holiday in his house in occupied Temblos in Kyrenia district with his Cypriot wife and children.

Despite the announcement that Gurel's visit was "private", his arrival in the "TRNC" for a second time in a month led to speculations that his visit might be related to the "government" crisis that has erupted in the pseudostate.

In connection with the "government" crisis in the "TRNC", Sukru Gurel said: "There is nothing that cannot be put right."

Gurel arrived at occupied Tymbou airport from Ankara.

But the presence of Ahmet Zeki Bulunc, the Undersecretary of the State Planning Organization at the Prime Ministry, on the same plane attracted attention.

Gurel was welcomed by Dervis Eroglu and Turkish Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan. When asked by KIBRIS correspondent while waiting for Gurel at the VIP hall, Eroglu said "we did not inform the press about the visit because it was a completely private one. His wife and children are here. He is coming for a weekend holiday."

Asked if "this visit has anything to do with the political crisis", Eroglu replied: "A politician is always inside politics. Is it possible for a politician to remain outside?"

Later Eroglu and Apakan welcomed Gurel and hosted him at the VIP hall. In a special statement to KIBRIS, Gurel said his visit to the "TRNC" was private and had "nothing to do with politics."

Indicating that he is planning to stay and rest in the occupied area until Monday or Tuesday, Gurel said if he finds the opportunity he might meet with Eroglu and Serdar Denktash.

When reminded that "there is political confusion and a government crisis in the TRNC", Gurel said: "Yes, so they say. I read about that in the press also. But, there is nothing that cannot be put right."

Asked if he is prepared "to take an initiative to reconcile the querulous sides", Gurel replied: "No, I did not come with such a purpose. Mine is a completely private visit".

[02] Talat: Glion showed damage caused by wrong Turkish remarks

In his written statement, Talat remarked that a significant portion of the aspects pertaining to the federal state and the authorities and responsibilities of the federal states mentioned in some of the documents submitted to the working table are also included in Boutros-Ghali's Set of Ideas. The fact that President Clerides has declared that he accepts part of the documents that incorporate these ideas within this framework is very significant, and it must constitute a development that the Turkish Cypriot side (words indistinct), Talat noted.

Claiming that the Glion negotiating process also demonstrated the damage caused by the wrong statements issued by the Turkish Cypriot side and the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Talat said that Denktash should now quickly convey to the parties the documents and developments submitted to the table and that joint work and communal assessments should be conducted regarding all these matters, including the EU issue.

[03] Ankara claims EU has `thrown spanner' into `Cyprus works'

They were referring to the fact that the latest round of Cyprus talks in Glion Switzerland ended in total disarray over the weekend without any results having been obtained. This "badly thought-out" and "badly-timed" involvement has not only thrown the "spanner in the works", but now runs the risk of also "pushing the EU itself into a corner" concerning Cyprus, these sources claim.

The Turkish side points to the fact that the European Commission recommended accession talks with Cyprus, just as the Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders were kicking off a highly sensitive and complex negotiation process under UN auspices.

It claims that by seeing the Greek Cypriots as its principal interlocutor for accession talks, and callously disregarding the Turkish Cypriot side in doing so, the European Commission has effectively exposed the "EU's leanings".

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash is now saying that if these accession talks start he will not negotiate further with the Greek Cypriot side.

President Glafcos Clerides, on the other hand, says that if the accession talks do not start he will not negotiate further with the Turkish Cypriot side.

"There appears to be a total absence of diplomatic finesse on the part of the European Commission, which was given ample warning of the kind of reactions it would elicit if it recommended these accession talks," one source commented to the Turkish Daily News.

"To disregard these warnings and go and make such a recommendation just when the Cyprus talks started, with great expectations all around, is nothing short of actively undermining the prospects for a settlement", this source claimed.

The same sources claim that the "arbitrary manner" in which the EU, backed by its member states, has "jumped into this problem" also puts the Union itself in what appears to be "an impossible situation."

Another source maintained that if the EU is aware of the negative role it has played in Cyprus, "then one may have to seek other European intentions concerning the island". "It may be that in consolidating the boundaries of the `new EU' that some in Europe have in mind, they want to take the Greek Cypriots into the Union at any cost. They are aware that accession talks with the Greek Cypriots means Turkish Cypriots' clinging to Turkey with greater determination, and thus further enhancing the division of the island. In other words, they may be aware that they are actively working to partition the island permanently", this source said.

"But this will not settle the problem either. It will simply sow the seeds for new problems attending a more deeply divided island, problems which the EU will have to face in the future and cope with", the source added.

A division of the island, however, would fly in the face of nearly forty years of efforts to try and keep the island united. The belief in Ankara, therefore, is that key European governments will try to avert such a division of the island, and will therefore want to "go back to the drawing board" to see how the present impasse can be broken.

[04] Report on press rights in Turkey

The commission, formed as part of the Ankara branch of the Turkish Journalists' Union (TGS), said in its report that one radio station owner was shot dead in Konya province, an armed attack was carried out on a radio station in Hakkari province and the branch offices of three magazines were raided by the police in Adana province.

The report also noted that 11 journalists were taken into custody, the courts ordered the closure of four newspapers and magazines, while twelve newspapers and magazines and copies of one book were confiscated. In addition, three TV stations were closed down temporarily, one was closed down indefinitely by the High Council of Radio and Television (RTUK) and in Erzurum seven radio stations were closed down indefinitely because their broadcasts interfered with the radio frequency of the police force.

The report said that four journalists were beaten while they were on duty at various locations, and 22 journalists, photographers and cameramen were beaten by both the police and the demonstrators during a demonstration in Ankara on July 29. In July, five trials of journalists and writers were opened, and a total of seven years, one month and five days imprisonment in sentences and TL 1,910,381,999 in fines were given to journalists, writers and publishers.

[05] Work and residence permits granted to illegal Turkish workers in the pseudostate

According to the paper, the illegal workers, who are granted this "right" and reside in the pseudostate for a period of five years, are made "citizens" of the pseudostate. (A.Th/EF)

[06] Basic points of new Cordovez document

While Rauf Denktash reiterated that he will accept no new document at the talks, the Greek Cypriot side announced that it is positive on the document, some reservations notwithstanding.

Ferai Tinc writes:

"The new document submitted by Cordovez is made of two sections. The main document includes the path and the timetable that the Cyprus peace process will follow. The appendix outlines the ways to solve the problem and draws the framework of the federal constitution. The following basic points are found in the document which is still kept secret:

1. The leaders will prepare the draft constitution and submit it to Cordovez at the meeting likely to held in New York on 31 December.

2. While the first document placed on the table at Troutbeck spoke of a single sovereign state arising from the sovereignty of the two communities, the new document takes a step backwards as far as the Turkish side is concerned and speaks about "a single federal state and a single and undivided sovereignty."

3. The new document does not include any article on the withdrawal of the foreign troops from the island. The Greek Cypriots are objecting to this.

4. Unlike the old document, the new document does not include the provision that the new Cyprus Federation will recognize the most favoured status to Turkey and Greece. The Greek Cypriot side had opposed this article.

5. There will be free movement and those owning immovable property on both sides will be able to return to them. Whereas the Turkish side favour an exchange of property.

6. The new document speaks about guarantor states and guarantees, but does not mention the guarantee agreements."

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

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