Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-11-28

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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. 222/97 -- 28.11.97

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash lectures on `Latest Cyprus Developments'.

[02] Etkin on EU "obstacle" to intercommunal talks.

[03] Turkish Cypriot census figures released.

[04] Denktash on EU decision.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash lectures on `Latest Cyprus Developments'

"The leaders of Cyprus, if they are intelligent, will turn Cyprus into a cradle for Turkish-Greek friendship. We are ready for this. Intelligent leaders will not turn Cyprus into the focal-point for Turkish-Greek disagreement. This is what the Greek Cypriots tried to accomplish. The Turkish Cypriots and Turkey tried to prevent this. Turkey has really made great sacrifices by supporting us in the intercommunal talks. We will never accept the Greek Cypriot efforts to have the whole of Cyprus become a EU member in the name of Cyprus. Cyprus cannot become a EU member as a whole without the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey. In the event that it does, it will not achieve anything."

[02] Etkin on EU "obstacle" to intercommunal talks

Etkin received Bulent Tulun, the newly appointed Turkish Embassy under secretary in the occupied areas.

Etkin added that "the national Cyprus cause is at an important crossroads and that the struggle is being waged with the support of motherland Turkey, as always... "We have as much rights as the Greek Cypriots. They forced us out of the republic at gunpoint in 1960. We then established our own administration.

The world must see this reality and accept it. That is the only way to a solution."

[03] Turkish Cypriot census figures released

Ahmet Zeki Bulunc, so-called State Planning Organization under secretary, held a news conference at the "Prime Minister's" Office where he disclosed the results of the general census held on 15 December 1996.

According, of the total population, 105,978 are men and 94,609 are women. Some 40.4 percent of the population lives in cities and district centers and 59.6 percent live in villages and subdistricts. The population of the occupied Nicosia area is 89,818, of Famagusta area 72,054, and of Kyrenia area 38,715.

Of the total population, 22.1 percent is made up by the 0-14 age group, 54.6 percent by the 15-44 age group, 16.4 by the 45-64 age group, and 6.9 percent by the 65-plus age group. Men make up 52.8 percent of the entire population, while women constitute 47.2 percent. Of the total population, 164,460 are "TRNC" citizens, 30,702 Turkish citizens, and 5,425 are citizens of third countries. The number of those born in Cyprus is 137,398.

According to the census, 52.6 percent of the population lives in cities and 47.4 percent in rural areas. The literate make up 93.5 percent of the population. The lowest literacy rate is in Famagusta and the highest in Kyrenia. The unemployment rate is 6.5 percent.

Bulunc said that the census was extremely successful with an error margin of less than 1 percent.

[04] Denktash on EU decision

Denktash who is in Istanbul, paid a courtesy call on Governor Kutlu Aktas. At the meeting, Denktash claimed that the Cyprus problem was created when the Greeks and the Greek Cypriots tried to "own" the whole of Cyprus and when the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey which supported the Turkish Cypriots resisted those moves. Denktash also claimed that the Turkish Cypriots continue along the path to peace with hope, adding: "We hope that on 12 December, the EU will not reach a decision that will ignore the rights of the Turkish Cypriots and that it will not lead the Cyprus issue to an impasse -- a Cyprus issue that started off as intercommunal talks but which now reached the level of talks between two states."

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

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