Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-10-02

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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. 182/97 -- 1-2.10.97

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Demirel: Testing Turkey's determination on S-300 is a mistake.

[02] Turkey's Demirel approves water project for pseudostate.

[03] Talat concludes briefings on his european tour.

[04] Talat briefs Denktash on European contacts.

[05] Eroglu to be released from hospital 1 October, to return 3 October.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Demirel: Testing Turkey's determination on S-300 is a mistake

Addressing the assembly on the commencement of the new legislative year, Demirel referred to the Cyprus issue saying that Turkey has conveyed its views on the missiles and the EU issues to world countries. Alleging that the EU inclination to begin membership negotiations with the Cyprus Government has adversely affected the intercommunal talks, Demirel claimed that steps toward disrupting the strategic balance in the eastern Mediterranean constitute a threat to regional peace. He recalled that Turkey's views on the S-300 missiles and the Cyprus-EU membership negotiation process were announced in the Demirel-Denktash joint declaration.

[02] Turkey's Demirel approves water project for pseudostate

According to a statement by the Presidential Press Center, President Demirel has signed the Council of Ministers' decision to put into effect "the foundation concerning the work to be carried out in the TRNC by the State Water Works Department".

The decision was adopted at the Turkish Republic Council of Minister's meeting on 26 September 1997.

The Manavgat Water Supply Project, which will bring a radical solution to the problem of drought in the occupied area, is expected to be completed at the end of this year or the first few months of next year.

The pseudostate's water problems will be solved completely with the completion of the project, named "Peace Water" having in mind that it will also contribute to the Middle East peace process.

The problems relating to the drinking and irrigation water will be greatly alleviated with the project, which envisages the transportation of the Manavgat water to the "TRNC", its storage at the Yayla installations on Morphou Bay, and eventually its pumping into the water distribution network.

The project, which envisages the sale of the water from Manavgat River to the "TRNC" in particular and also to countries like Israel and Libya that suffer water shortage, will cost $122 million to complete.

The project will bring $300 million in yearly revenues to Turkey.

The Manavgat Water Supply Project is the first of its kind in the world in terms of its dimension and capacity. It is assumed that 180 million cubic meters of water will be transported yearly with the completion of the project, which will also constitute a source of water for the Middle Eastern and North African countries.

Noting that this year alone 7 trillion (Turkish Lira) has been allocated for the project, the officials noted that so far $57 million has been spent on the project, the overall estimated cost of which is put at $122 million.

The 5.8 cubic meters of water per second to be drawn from the Manavgat Dam by the installations in Antalya's Manavgat District will be pumped to the purification plants via two 980-meter-long, 1200-mm-wide steel pipes. It will then be sent to the storage tanks after having been aerated, mixed, purified, and filtered. An additional amount of water, brought in by another route, will be chlorinated here. Then the water in the storage tank and the chlorinated one will be pumped to the coastal shunting depots via 10-km-long, 600-mm-wide steel pipes. The water in the coastal shunting depots will then be pumped onto two floating platforms via four 3-km-long, 1200-mm-wide steel pipes.

The water collected on the platforms will then be transported to the Middle Eastern and African littoral countries on the Mediterranean by ships or balloons.

[03] Talat concludes briefings on his european tour

Talat, who first visited the UBP headquarters met with UBP general secretary Vehbi Zeki Serter. In his address during the visit, Talat, pointing to the importance of having the voice of the Turkish Cypriot community heard in Europe, added that according to the impression he got during his European tour, Europe was not aware of the concerns, feelings and thoughts of the Turkish Cypriot side. Explaining that he assumed this mission in view of the CTP belief that it was important to have the Turkish Cypriot voice heard in Europe, Talat said that his party was determined to make this channel of communication a lasting one.

Calling on the other political parties in the occupied area to establish relations with the European parties sharing similar stands, Talat added: "Only in this way can Europe be made aware of the views and thoughts of the Turkish Cypriot people."

Serter, in turn, expressed his pleasure at Talat's visit and stressed the importance of being briefed first hand on Talat's European visit.

Talat later visited YKP leader Alpay Durduran. In his address at the meeting, Talat said: "I noticed that the Turkish Cypriots can definitely assume a place in the future of the EU".

Talat continued: "Severing the ties with EU, boycotting the EU activities, and putting obstacles in the way of communal activities just because the EU is behind them only help to undermine the wrong impression Europe has with regard to the Turkish Cypriot community. Extending support to the EU bicommunal activities in the same way as the activities promoted by the United Nations and the United States will help improve the EU relations with the Turkish Cypriot community". Regarding relations, Talat said that efforts should be exerted to secure peace, which is the real need of the Turkish Cypriot community, instead of issuing a call for a national congress.

Durduran, in turn, pointed out the benefits of such contacts and continued: "The Turkish Cypriot community is refusing a EU membership, which other countries seek to join through great efforts. This is not easy to explain. Actually, it is possible to refuse this membership through a federation to be established." Charging that there is a great difference of opinions between the Turkish Cypriot community and the "administration", Durduran said that the "administration" did not support the public. Commenting on the attacks launched against the CTP for its European contacts, Durduran added: "Such attacks have no place in democracies. They exist only in oppressive political systems."

[04] Talat briefs Denktash on European contacts

CTP Secretary General Ferdi Sabit Soyer and Feridun Onsal, the party's foreign relations secretary, also attended the meeting.

During the meeting, Talat briefed Denktash and presented to him documents pertaining to his recent visit to Europe. In a statement to the press after the meeting, Denktash reported that Talat and his colleagues briefed him on their foreign contacts.

Pointing out that the pseudostate should open up to the socialist world, Denktash said that given the fact the majority of Europe holds socialist views, he welcomes a delegation representing a political party in the "TRNC" conducting contacts in Europe. The incidents that occurred during the CTP visit are matters that the community can resolve within itself, Denktash remarked.

Asked if he was convinced at the end of the meeting, Denktash responded: "It is not a matter of whether I am convinced. I am saying that any kind of contact is beneficial.

As long as the TRNC and its organs conduct these contacts, this will be beneficial, not harmful".

Talat, in his statement, noted that he briefed Denktash on his contacts in Europe. Pointing out that the meeting was useful, Talat said that if peace is to be attained in Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriot community must convey its concerns, needs, and problems to international platforms. Talat explained that he told Denktash that his party held its European contacts on the basis of this premise. He noted that the socialists are becoming increasingly more important in Europe and their influence is growing with regard to peace and security in the region. Talat stated that his party wants to join the Socialist International.

[05] Eroglu to be released from hospital 1 October, to return 3 October

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

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