Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-10-29

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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. 200/97 -- 28-29.10.97

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Rauf Denktash at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

[02] Suleyman Demirel: "EU is clever for not excluding Turkey".

[03] KIBRIS: "Count down for the TOROS-97 started". Cyprus will shake again".

[04] Ankara said opposed to "sacrifice" Cyprus, Aegean for EU.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Rauf Denktash at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Answering to a question on the proposal of President Clerides' to demilitarize the island, Denktash said:

"Demilitarization is okay after we reach a solution".

In reply to another question, Denktash said: "The existing Greek-Turkish balance over the island is one of the four cornerstones of stability. If you destroy that balance, you destroy us". (MY)

[02] Suleyman Demirel: "EU is clever for not excluding Turkey"

In this meeting the Council did not envisage a timetable for Turkey's membership to the European Union and its name was not among the 11 candidates. At the same meeting Germany also voiced its scepticism at whether Ankara should be invited to a pan-European conference embracing all nations seeking EU membership.

Demirel said the situation was worrying and was disturbing Turkey.

He recalled that German Chancellor Kohl told him they would help pave the road for Turkey. Demirel added later the same thing had been said to Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz.

"But in international relations patience is necessary.

It is impossible for Germany not to know the value of Turkey...

It is against its own interest to withdraw its support from Turkey," said Demirel.

Parliament Speaker Hikmet Cetin said this decision of the EU Council was unjust. He said that since the beginning he had the impression that Germany was thinking about the custom union plus another arrangement for Turkey. Cetin said this was unacceptable.

[03] KIBRIS: "Count down for the TOROS-97 started". Cyprus will shake again"

During the exercise code named TOROS-97, war games will take place and live ammunition will be used.

KIBRIS says that most probably Turkish jets will fly over the occupied area and conduct air attacks target, practices with live ammunition.

It says that the military airport at the occupied Lefkoniko has been made ready for the F-4 Fantoms and F-16 jets which will take part in the exercise. (MY)

[04] Ankara said opposed to "sacrifice" Cyprus, Aegean for EU

Thinking that both states oppose Turkey's EU membership for "political" reasons, Turkey is getting ready to toughen its position on the Aegean and Cyprus issues. Turkey is to launch a major "propaganda" on the human rights issue. And, despite Germany's negative stance, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will again visit Bonn in mid-November for a meeting with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

It has also been learned, YENI YUZYIL reports, that Prime Minister Yilmaz has indicated that there cannot be any question of Turkey forgoing its rights in Cyprus and the Aegean for the sake of anything, including the EU.

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

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