Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 98-07-29

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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. 135/98 -- 29.7.98

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Demirel on illegal Cyprus visit, security.

[02] Denktash on Cyprus problem.

[03] Yilmaz announces he will resign after new year´s eve.

[04] Threats against those who oppose integration with Turkey.

[05] Teacher´s union opposes integration with Turkey.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Demirel on illegal Cyprus visit, security

``So far reciprocal ceremonial visits have been paid without, however, doing anything concrete. But, I am bringing with me all the big businessmen of Turkey. Some 20 to 25 people, I myself chose them all. I am telling these businessmen: `Go and do something in North Cyprus´. That is why I am taking them with me. If employment opportunities are created for some 15, 000 to 20,000 people the north Cyprus´ problem would be solved. My visit will be a welfare visit. It is a visit to generate welfare and wealth.''

After stating that Turkey will also provide power through a sea pipeline, to a question whether there could be a possibility of giving water to the free areas of Cyprus out of humanitarian considerations, Demirel replied:

``Our springs and rivers flowing into the Mediterranean carry much water. Our first objective is to make Cyprus green. We want to justify its name the ´Green Island´. That huge Mesaoria valley in the middle of Cyprus has to become green. Everywhere should turn into gardens and groves. Not only the coastline, but its center too should become green. Turkey will achieve that. There is a meaning for my coming on 25 July with water. Turkey is determined to overcome the difficulties suffered by compatriots in Cyprus. The water transportation in balloons is the harbinger of water transportation by a pipeline. The council of Ministers in Turkey has adopted a decision on water transportation by a pipeline. It is scientifically plausible Before long, the amount of water to meet north Cyprus´ needs will first be transported there. After that, it is possible to supply the water needed by south Cyprus. It is also possible to transport water to other Middle Eastern countries via north Cyprus.''

In reply to a question on the pseudostate´s economy, Demirel said, inter alia: ``With the financial assistance provide by Turkey for years now, the economy has entered a period of relative growth. The gross national product fell by some four percent between 1994-95. This negative trend stopped in the second half of 1996 and a two percent real growth was achieved. Despite the strong drought, it registered a 2.5 percent increase in 1997. With the start of the coastal trade, TRNC´s $10 million exports to Turkey in 1994 rose to $34 million in 1996. The $250 million credit given in keeping with the Economic Cooperation Agreement signed in 1997 has been used and is being used in tranches to ensure financial balance in the TRNC, and to strengthen its touristic, educational, industrial, banking, and financial sectors. A structural turning point has been achieved in the economy and as a result the proportion of the manufactured goods in the national gross product has increased.

The TRNC now produces its own power. The water transportation by balloons to alleviate the TRNC´s water problem is being implemented. Water supply here is on our agenda. The air transportation problem has been considerably resolved through the Turkish Cypriot Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Istanbul Airlines. In addition to the Maritime shipping, the ferryboats belonging to the private sector and the hovercrafts ensure effective communication between the TRNC and Turkey´s Mediterranean ports. There are six universities in the TRNC with 18,000 students. Tourism and educational fields have become priority sectors.

The investors who will invest in the TRNC in keeping with State Assistance Agreement will benefit exactly from the same incentives in force in Turkey. The Turkish investors are being encouraged to make more investments in the TRNC. The practice has begun of allocating Ziraat Bank and Halk Bank credits to the TRNC farmers and small artisans with the same conditions existing in Turkey. In that period, considerable compensation has been paid to the TRNC farmers and producers in TRNC. The Turkish Cypriot farmers are our farmers too. Whatever they produce we will buy. We will continue buying citrus and potatoes.

The Turkey-TRNC Partnership Council in its meeting on 31 March 1998 decided to set up a common economic area between the two countries. This was reiterated by the Joint Declaration that I issued with esteemed President Denktash on 23 April 1998 during his visit to our country. The work to set up a common economic area is still continuing. Important advances have been achieved regarding infrastructure. The project to built highways has been launched. Kyrenia Port is being enlarged. The expansion of Tymbou airport runway and terminal will begin in the next period. A transition is being made to drip-irrigation system in agriculture. Some four million tree.s were planted in 1997 alone. The reforestation of the burned areas will also start soon. This wound will be cured. In education, new schools will be built and the national education level will be upgraded.

As could be seen, thanks to the comprehensive programs the progress achieved in the TRNC economy cannot be belittled. The work toward developing the TRNC will be maintained even more actively in the period ahead. If this positive trend continues, the existing problems will be overcome, and in the years 2000 the TRNC, with its educated population and strategic geographic location, will take its place among the developed economies of the world.''

Asked whether he had any plan of automatically granting Turkish Republic citizenship to Turkish Cypriots to radically solve their identity problems experienced in foreign countries, Demirel said: ``Look, at the second session of the Partnership Council in Nicosia it has been decided to recognize the Turkish Cypriots all the social and economic rights enjoyed by our citizens in Turkey. The meaning of that is: Arrangements regarding this (not further specified) will be made expeditiously. The Turkish Cypriot will enjoy the same status and rights that our citizens enjoy as regards residence, work, opening of businesses, and investments.''

In reply to a question on the S-300 missiles, Demirel claimed: ``The Greek Cypriot - Greek side is heightening tension in Cyprus deliberately. They will be held accountable for the consequences of the tension to arise with the arrival of the missiles on the island or deployment of the Greek planes in south Cyprus. Turkey and the TRNC have announced that they will not accept these issues becoming a subject of negotiations. Turkey is the guarantor of peace, stability, and security in Cyprus and East Mediterranean. It will regard an attack on the TRNC as an attack on itself. We are continuing to take commensurate military and political measures against attempts that might endanger the security of Turkey and the TRNC.''

Asked whether Turkey in response to the Paphos base and the S-300 missiles will start the work on establishing a sea and air base in the occupied area of Cyprus, Demirel said: ``It is not difficult if one considers the TRNC defenses, Turkey´s geographical proximity, and Turkey´s strength. Turkey can always ensure the security of the Turkish compatriots in the TRNC under any condition. Turkey has taken its measure. Let me say only this much, and indicate the following as well: When they brought planes to Cyprus we did the same. The Lefkoniko airport played that role. It is extremely wrong for the Greek Cypriot side to opt for an arms race in Cyprus, because let me say that touching the north Cyprus means touching Turkey. Whoever touches north Cyprus touches Turkey. This has been noted in my various statements. I again declare that our brothers living in north Cyprus have no security problem.''.

[02] Denktash on Cyprus problem

Asked what are the main lines of the Turkish Cypriot policy of ``Talks between states'', Denktash replied: ``We have drawn the line with the 1998 Declaration and are telling him (President Clerides): My brother, my friend, you are sovereign but you do not have the right to extend your sovereignty over me. I am sovereign, and I do not have the right to extend my sovereignty over you. We are two neighbours and are equals now. Accept this so that we may hold talks. What shall we talk about? We will talk about the line drawn between us. If there is any cooperation to be maintained, we will talk about the principles of this cooperation. We will talk about how to hold contacts and about the status of these contacts so as to help our two peoples to become friends. We are saying that we are ready to discuss these things. And if you give up you enmity and your assertion that `I will also take the north. Also the north is mine. You do not have any right,´ then naturally the roads will be opened for an understanding, bridges of friendship will be established, following which the question of how we will form a partnership government can be raised on the agenda, if it is so wished. But they say that you (Turkish Cypriots) talked about a federation in the past; also the whole world wants a federation now; in that case, there will be a federation, but it will be in the way I want. These people are saying that they do not want a federation, as suggested by the UN Secretary General, that envisages the equality of the Turkish Cypriots, their right of sovereignty, the continuation of Turkey´s guarantorship, the bi-zonality, and the exchange of property necessary for the implementation and consolidation of bi-zonality. They have a large number of declarations in this regard. If you do not want this kind of a federation, it means that you do not want a federation. Clerides said to me in Glion: `I will not discuss sovereignty with you, because the Republic of Cyprus exists as a sovereign republic. Let the occupier withdraw so that I may be able to implement my sovereignty´. He is saying: `I will not discuss exchange of property with you. It is contrary to human rights. All the Greek Cypriot refugees must return to their places. I cannot prevent this and will not accept anything that can prevent this from happening´.''

And he continued:

``If you (Greek Cypriots) want the reintroduction of federation, then you should accept the two sides´ equality and sovereignty and their equality in all these matters, that is, you should accept the existence of my state. But he (President Clerides) is not accepting these things. And what are we saying? We are saying that we are not shunning dialogue. What we are saying is that if they want the reunification of the island, this unification can be done on the basis of two states.''

And further on he said: ``Do you want me to become your partner? No, why should I be a partner? Let us live like brothers, let human rights be implemented regarding every individual. We want equality in laws; that is, we do not want to be treated as a minority. Are you out of your minds? Can the side that has obtained the partnership founder´s status under the 1960 agreements, has protected this status for the past 35 years with the price of its own life, has brought Turkey to Cyprus in order not to lose this status and has established a republic - can it accept to lower its flag and be a minority under you? You have lived the life of a sovereign people and have liked this.

You have liked it so much that you will try to extend your sovereignty over us. I am saying that my friend, do not extend your sovereignty over me. I also have my sovereignty and I like it. I am happy with my authority. I am standing upright, so let us be friends and live side by side like two neighbours.''

Asked what steps will be taken against the Paphos airbase and the S-300, Denktash said that steps have already been taken. The military measures that they have taken are very comprehensive, protective, and adequate, he said, but whatever measures that a military agreement between Greece and the Greek Cypriots dictates to be done in order to achieve a balance, those measures will be achieved through an understanding between themselves and Turkey.

``Now, are we going to give air and naval bases to Turkey? Turkish ships can come and throw anchor in the ports anytime they want. As for the air base, we already mentioned that if they bring Greek airplanes,, we, for our part, will bring Turkish airplanes in the Lefkoniko air base. These can be done depending on the circumstances. Demirel made a statement that pleased us all. He said that they will treat us as if we were a province. The Greek Cypriots immediately took this to mean that he will make Cyprus a province and will annex it. Demirel did not say this. He said that they will embrace Cyprus under the same conditions of the support they grant to the provinces and under the same conditions and facilities existing between Ankara and the provinces. We thank them. This is what we wanted to have for so many years. What we wanted was the elimination of the obstacles facing us in order for us to live in ease from economic and security perspectives, to be exalted by all these, and to find our way into the 65 million strong Turkish market. This is what was wanted. This is what was achieved,'' he said.

In reply to a relevant question, Denktash supported the idea that the pseudostate should have its own ``currency''.

``Naturally, it is possible to introduce our own currency. The same currency unit is used between Scotland and England, but Scotland has its own currency. The Scottish currency is purchased with the same price in England, but it is a Scottish currency. Also this can be implemented and should be implemented. Why should it not be implemented? We should have done this a long time ago. This can be done without touching anyone´s currency unit or bank account. The same Turkish currency can be stamped, saying that this is TRNC currency and presented to the world as our own currency. This thing must be done.''

[03] Yilmaz announces he will resign after new year´s eve

Addressing a Motherland Party (ANAP) Assembly group, Yilmaz stated that the declaration of the election date also ended certain unnecessary polemics in the country.

The prime minister pointed out that the government will continue to perform until new year´s eve, after which he will resign as prime minister.

``The period between that and April will be under the president´s authority. It is impossible for us to determine what will happen in that period. We will carry out our obligations fully. At our meeting on 17June, I reminded Mr. Baykal that we cannot put ourselves in the president´s place and appoint a prime minister to replace me. After I resign, the authority lies with the president. For the procedure to work in line with our agreement the president must believe in and act in line with that,'' Yilmaz said.

[04] Threats against those who oppose integration with Turkey

The short note read:

``I vow to God that I will annihilate all of you. It is up to you to blame any organization for this action. `The honey Wolf´, when the time comes, will come out in the open.

With feelings of hatred towards traitors''.

YENIDUZEN adds that people at the paper informed Denktash´s police and gave the letter to a police officer as evidence and asked for protection.

Meanwhile, the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) criticized last week´s Turkey- occupied area ``Partnership Council'' meeting, calling it ``unprepared, held in an atmosphere of fait accompli''. In a statement, RTP General Secretary Ferdi Sabit Soyer said that such steps will not provide the desired contribution. He said that the ``Council´s'' work will not be productive. (MY)

[05] Teacher´s union opposes integration with Turkey

The statement reads: ``Communities that lose their independence are condemned to disappear. The Turkish Cypriots have the right to self determination. The exercising of this right should be the basis. North Cyprus´s unification with the Republic of Turkey and becoming a province of the Republic of Turkey is tantamount to the annihilation of Turkish Cypriots…

Those clever people who want to be ruled by Ankara can go to Turkey where there are plenty places to settle. Villages evacuated in the South East and Eastern Anatolia are empty. Alevi villages in Sinas and Adana are empty. Half of the villages of Hatay province are empty because toilers of Hatay left Hatay in search for bread. So those who want to be ruled can choose one of these villages and go and live there''.

(MY)

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

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