Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 98-01-07

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Yilmaz, Denktash on Cyprus issue.

[02] Turkish Cypriots ask UN to take initiative on equality.

[03] Serdar Denktash favours privatization of "Electricity Corporation.

[04] Greek Cypriot's "trial" postponed to 13 January.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Yilmaz, Denktash on Cyprus issue

In reply to a question on the EU membership issue, Yilmaz said: "Unfortunately, as I said in the Assembly, our government started its negotiations process with the EU at a very negative point as far as Turkey was concerned. Before the Customs Union (CU) agreement, a decision was adopted by the EU on the start of the accession talks with Cyprus. Turkey's failure to object to the decision was seen as Turkey's tacit acceptance of it. At the recent Luxembourg summit, when we voiced our firm stand against Cyprus' participation in the EU and against the full membership negotiations between it and the EU, the Westerners were amazed.

They said they thought this issue had been resolved and that we had not objected to it. Turkey's failure to include a reservation about this issue in the CU agreement justifies our belief, they said.

In its actual form, the CU agreement will create many complications for Turkey if south Cyprus becomes a full member of the EU. In the years ahead, Turkey will be faced with difficulties in implementing the CU agreement with regard to Cyprus".

On his part, asked what will happen now, Denktash inter alia claimed:

"It is being said that the negotiations will begin in March, immediately after the Greek Cypriot elections. It is also being said that Cordovez is preparing certain documents. In other words, these circles seem to think that they can start where they left off with total disregard for our statements, our stand, and Turkey's decision. Together with Turkey, we must constantly tell them that they are wrong. The situation has changed." And he went on: "We have given the EU our final answer, and we must tell it that we will not change our position. As a former partner, we are ready to negotiate, but on the basis of two states and as a sovereign side, not in intercommunal talks. They must stop wasting our time as they have for the past 34 years, saying that the two communities are equal but that the Greek Cypriots are also the government of Cyprus and of the Turkish Cypriots. We must not be taken in by this ploy again.

I want to draw your attention to another point. A colleague of ours told a Turkish newspaper that Denktash is defending Turkey's rights more than those of the Turkish Cypriots. I want to answer that allegation publicly: The rights of the Turkish Cypriots and of Turkey over Cyprus were determined by the 1960 agreements, and they are one; you cannot separate them. If you do, you separate Cyprus from Turkey and you deny the 1960 agreements in other words, you play into the hands of the Greek Cypriots who, ever since 1963, have been trying to eliminate these agreements and the rights given to Turkey by these agreements.

That is: You destroy yourself. Consequently, the rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots over Cyprus are one, and they cannot be separated. They are defended together. The common struggle is the struggle to defend these rights and our freedom; it is the struggle not to abandon Cyprus to the Greeks and Greek Cypriots."

Yilmaz, on his part, said that over the years agreement was reached on certain principles regarding a solution in Cyprus. One of them is bizonality, another is bicommunality, a third is that the solution must be in the form of a federal state based on the equality of the two communities. He went on saying that if you look at the existing situation there is great inequality between the two communities. "This inequality is not only in terms of population or in terms of the level of economic development and prosperity. The Greek Cypriot Administration is being recognized by the entire world, except for Turkey, as the legitimate representative of Cyprus. It receives all of the international aid. On the other hand, the TRNC that is the state that is the sovereign body of the Turkish Cypriot community has been isolated by the entire world".

He claimed that in order to bring the two communities which, at this stage, are so vastly unequal to a solution at an equal level, the side that has more rights must give up some of them. "If the aim is really to reach a solution with equal status, then the side that must be pressured is the Greek Cypriot side", he alleged.

"Now, if the Greek Cypriot side begins accession talks with the EU as the representative of all of Cyprus and if the EU, as it announced earlier, admits the Greek Cypriot side as a full member in the event that the TRNC refuses to take part in these talks, then the current inequality will increase. From then on, it will no longer be possible to reach a federal solution on the island based on equal status. Such an EU mistake will lead the island to partition", Yilmaz threatened. And he further added:

"When I was in the United States, during my talks with both President Clinton and Secretary of State Albright, I clearly told them that such an EU mistake will lead the island to partition. In the United States, I was not told to participate in the accession talks. The press reports about that were wrong. The press reported its concern as if it were a true report, but it wasn't true. I was the one who expressed my concern. I told my European colleagues of my concern before the EU summit, and I told the US officials after the summit. The EU's insistence on this mistake will lead Cyprus to partition. It will cause the current division in Cyprus to become the permanent solution. In that situation, the Turkish Republic will not abandon the TRNC on its own."

[02] Turkish Cypriots ask UN to take initiative on equality

UN sources claim that the documents are not binding on the sides and that they are merely aimed at guiding the sides. The so-called New York representative of the pseudostate, Aytug Plumer, claimed that the talks scheduled for March can only be conducted between the "states", and not between the communities as suggested by the United Nations. He further claimed that the international organization must take an initiative. "Annan, for example, should include this fact, which was stated by the TRNC, in his reports to the Security Council", he claimed. He alleged that the signal to be given by the United Nations is very important, adding that although he accepts that recognizing states is not one of the functions of the United Nations it would be wrong for the United Nations to sit idle. Plumer rejected the viewpoint that the sides are equal on the negotiating table, but not equal outside it. He alleged that the parameters have changed since the Luxembourg EU summit, and the UN Security Council will also soon realize that it has no other alternative.

[03] Serdar Denktash favours privatization of "Electricity Corporation"

Denktash noted that transmission lines must be rebuilt if they are to attain continuous and uninterrupted electricity, and new investments are needed to meet the energy deficit to emerge in 2000. Denktash explained that a loan of $50 million needed to repair the transmission lines has been found, but a bank from Turkey must supply a guarantee to procure this loan. He added that the matter has not been discussed with Turkey yet.

Denktash also revealed that the "government" is planning to issue a tender for the conversion of the currently idle power stations in the Dikmen and CMC installations with the aim of providing additional energy resources. Matters concerning electricity will be discussed during a visit to Ankara today in which he will be accompanies by a "parliamentary" delegation, Denktash noted. With regard to allegations that Turkey is positing the precondition of privatization in the field of electricity for extending a loan of $80 million, Denktash said:

"I will discuss this matter with Turkish government officials, especially with State Minister Sukru Gurel. I am not aware of such an approach; but if Turkey does have such a stand, it is not right".

[04] Greek Cypriot's "trial" postponed to 13 January

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

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article