Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-12-30

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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. 241/97 -- 30.12.97

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash returns, demands recognition.

[02] Turkey announces new guidelines for Cyprus solution.

[03] Fetullah Gulen to open new "university" in occupied Prastio village.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash returns, demands recognition

In his statement issued at the meeting, Denktash claimed that Greece was putting obstacles in the way of a Cyprus solution and added: "We have to maintain the balance in Cyprus. The Cyprus issue can only be resolved on the basis of a two-state, two-community concept only and for this, the TRNC should be recognized first."

Kocamaz presented Denktash with an honorary citizen title, a gold key, and a sword used in the Independence War.

According to illegal Bayrak radio (6:00 hours, 29.12.97) in a statement he issued at occupied Tymbou airport upon his return from Tarsus, Denktash alleged that the warm welcome he received in Tarsus echoed the "excitement" felt by Anatolia on the Cyprus issue. Denktash added that the message he conveyed in Tarsus was that the basis of two "states" should be insisted upon and not retracted. Denktash continued: "It was the EU that brought us to adopt the principle of two states. It is a great pleasure to be able to embrace the motherland. We should know its value".

[02] Turkey announces new guidelines for Cyprus solution

Ambassador Necati Utkan, Foreign Ministry spokesman, speaking at his weekly news conference organized for the foreign press, said that every future initiative on the issue should take into consideration the principle of "two states". Utkan said that for the solution of the Cyprus problem, the mutual property claims should be solved, an agreement on security arrangements that is satisfactory to both sides should be concluded, and "border" adjustments should be made in a bid to delineate the final "border."

[03] Fetullah Gulen to open new "university" in occupied Prastio village

Fetullah Gulen, who is a leading member of the Nurcu (the spiritual light of sainthood) sect of Sunni Islam in Turkey, owns secondary schools and private universities all over Turkey and abroad which provide religious education to their students.

KIBRIS reports that an agreement has been reached with the villagers in the occupied village of Prastio for the provision of 126 donums of land on which the so-called university will be built.

KIBRIS says that according to the agreement, 5 billion TL will be paid to the villagers, who are mainland settlers.

KIBRIS reports that the so-called minister of education of the pseudostate Caymaz is not happy with the project. Caymaz said: "It is out of question for whoever comes over to open a university in the TRNC. No one has made an application to us yet. If they do, we will evaluate it. However, a refusal is also a form of evaluation".

On the other hand, the so-called housing and settlement minister of the pseudostate Ali Ozkan Altinisik, who is a mainland settler, is in favour of the project and said that work has started to issue "title-deeds" to villagers for the land on which the so-called university will be built, thus giving the mainland settlers the right to sell their land afterwards.

KIBRIS says that since the land in the occupied Prastio village is allocated to the settlers they have no right to sell it unless they acquire a "title-deed" for it first.

Altinisik has declared that the villagers' demand for "title-deeds" is a "reasonable" demand and said that work has started to speed-up the work of issuing the "title-deeds".

KIBRIS reports that Mehmet Ozkan is the man who is responsible for carrying out the work for the establishment of the "university" in the occupied area, acting in the name of the "Canbulat Foundation", owned by Fetullah Gulen.

(MY)

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

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