Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 98-07-24

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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. 132/98 -- 24.7.98

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Cem, Gurel in Cyprus to attend Partnership Council meeting.

[02] AVRUPA on Hannay´s conference in the occupied area.

[03] Report on human rights violations in Turkey.

[04] Demirel: ``TRNC to be treated as a province of Turkey''.

[05] Denktash on Hannay´s criticism against him.

[06] No more use of international telephone code between Turkey and the pseudostate.

[07] Joint declaration of the ``Partnership Council''.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Cem, Gurel in Cyprus to attend Partnership Council meeting

In a statement at occupied Tymbou airport, Gurel said that ``those who make illusory plans for the future that are not based on the Cyprus realities will have to retreat in the face of the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot will.''

In an airport statement, so-called prime minister Dervis said that the second PC meeting will convey significant messages to the world on Turkish- ``TRNC'' cooperation and the unity of views regarding foreign policy issues and the ``national cause''. Eroglu added: ``The TRNC is reaching a point where it can overcome the problems it is facing in the national cause, as well as those pertaining to foreign policy and the economy, through cooperation. Every single day we can observe that our economy is being strengthened. Being aware of the fact that this is insufficient, we hope that the TRNC will be further strengthened through the implementation of the agreements signed with Turkey.''

In his statement, Gurel said the PC meeting will be beneficial for both sides. Noting that Turkey will always stand by the ``TRNC'', Gurel stressed that activities aimed at developing and expanding the special relations between Turkey and the pseudostate will continue. He said that at this meeting a political and comprehensive assessment will be made on the implementation of the decisions adopted at the first meeting and on the significant and sensitive stage reached in the Cyprus issue.

Gurel continued: ``Turkey will defend the balance established in the region through the 1960 agreements and will struggle against proposals for a solution that are not based on the principle of two states on the island.''

The Turkish delegation, composed of three ministers and five deputies later met with Rauf Denktash. In a statement at the meeting, Denktash expressed the belief that the PC will make important decisions not only in the economic field but in the political one as well.

In a statement at the meeting, Gurel said that a political assessment of the current stage of the Cyprus issue will also be made. Gurel said that Turkey and the ``TRNC'' share the same destiny.

[02] AVRUPA on Hannay´s conference in the occupied area

Calling on the Turkish Cypriots to make their voice heard by joining the EU full membership talks in a joint delegation with the Greek Cypriots, Hannay, however, did not specify how to solve the problem of the Turkish Cypriot status, the report says.

Hannay made the following proposal: ``Join the negotiations, explain yourselves, and if you see that you cannot achieve what you want then you can, if you want to, withdraw from that process. Because then you would simply be returning to your present position and would not be losing anything.''

Hannay gave a conference, called ``Cyprus: The Way Ahead'',organized by the Turkish Cypriot Businessmen´s Association.

In delving into the Cyprus problem and the EU process, Sir David Hannay conveyed the message that they still consider the Cyprus Government as the government of the whole of Cyprus.

Noting at the conference that he is speaking on behalf of the EU Term Chairmanship, Hannay also revealed how the EU looks upon the Cyprus problem from the legal angle. He said that the EU jurists do not look positively on the TRNC´s legal pretensions and that legally the EU considers the Greek Cypriot side as the Government of Cyprus.

When asked ``what he thinks about revising the guarantee and alliance agreement given that it does not work well in practice,'' Hannay replied:

``This issue is not on the agenda. Already, this agreement is one of the Turkish Cypriots´ ìndispensable´ preconditions. For the Turkish Cypriots, the guarantee and alliance agreement constitutes the foundation stone for a future accord.''

In reply to another question, Hannay said that the desire to end the division of the island as a guarantor power lies behind the British strategic interest in seeing the whole of Cyprus as a EU member. He said the ``EU too has a similar interest''.

Sir David Hannay also said that both sides should display political will for there to be a solution in Cyprus, and noted that there is no benefit in imposing a solution from outside.

[03] Report on human rights violations in Turkey

A report says 518 individuals complained to rehabilitation centers about physical abuse in 1997. According to the report 466 individuals were put behind bars in 1994-1997 on grounds of committing intellectual crimes. The report indicates that presently 133 individuals are behind bars for committing intellectual crimes. Some 508 organizations, political institutions, and press organs have been closed for expressing freedom of thought, and 639 mass organizations, political institutions, and press organs have been under pressure.

[04] Demirel: ``TRNC to be treated as a province of Turkey''

In an interview to MILLIYET´s correspondent Cenk Baslamis on the eve of his illegal visit to the occupied area, Demirel claimed that from now on ``the north of the island, as regards the economy, will be like a province of Turkey''.

Demirel stated that they will not allow the security of the occupied area to be endangered. He said that from now on they will work for the welfare of the occupied area and for its well-being.

Demirel claimed that they will make the occupied Messaoria plain green with the water they will transport from Turkey.

``The TRNC´s economy is heading for integration with Tureky´s economy. In the economic sense, Cyprus will be treated as one of Turkey´s province.'' When asked to comment on whether a relation could be established between Russia´s selling of S-300 missile systems to the Greek Cypriots and Turkey´s relations with the Caucasus and the Central Asian Turkic Republics, Demirel said: ``No relation can be established. I believe that those who rule Russia have common sense. I do not think that they will engage in animosity with Turkey. It is in the interest of our neighbours to have friendly relations with Turkey''.

Demirel further said that those who bother the occupied area will be considered as bothering Turkey and will ``learn their lesson''.

(MY)

[05] Denktash on Hannay´s criticism against him

He went on and said: ``We do not ask `does Sir David consider himself the governor of Cyprus?´. Because in Cyprus there are two sovereign peoples and two separate states established by them. Sir David and the world say to one of them, `you are the sole government in Cyprus´. However, saying this did not make and will not make the Greek Cypriot Republic in the south, the government of Turkish Cypriots. This is the reason for Sir David´s outrage''. (MY)

[06] No more use of international telephone code between Turkey and the pseudostate

With this arrangement people calling from the occupied area to Turkey will dial ``O'' and then the area code of the province they are calling in Turkey.. (MY)

[07] Joint declaration of the ``Partnership Council''

The declaration stresses the importance of maintaining the balance established by the 1960 treaties between Turkey and Greece in Cyprus and in the Eastern Mediterranean.

It declares that the Turkish Republic will continue to provide to the ``TRNC'', in accordance with the 1960 guarantee system, effective and active guarantees, and that it will oppose every threat directed against Turkey and the occupied area.

It stresses that the two sides will not accept that the S-300 missile systems and the Paphos Air Base be considered as a bargaining element for military and political issues.

It criticizes the EU decision to start membership negotiations with Cyprus and its Luxembourg decision on Turkey. It considers this decision as torpedoing the basis for a negotiated settlement and as paving the way for rendering the division permanent in Cyprus.

It insists on two separate sovereignties and demands the recognition of the occupied area as an independent and sovereign ``state''.

The joint statement also refers to measures to be taken in the economic field to integrate the occupied area with Turkey.

(MY)

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

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