Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 98-08-20

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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. 151/98 -- 20.8.98

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Minister: S-300 transfer can be through straits, other routes.

[02] Utkan: Turkey´s views on moratorium, S-300´s unchanged.

[03] Turkish Ministry responds: No bargaining on S-300.

[04] Denktash meets new commanders, lauds Turkish army role.

[05] Miller meets Turkish officials, says no new proposals.

[06] Brig. Gen. Ozoeyranli appointed ``security forces'' commander.

[07] British ambassador to Turkey on S-300, Turkey´s EU membership.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Minister: S-300 transfer can be through straits, other routes

Kara replied to a written motion submitted by Ahmet Nurettin, FP (Virtue Party) deputy from Aydin, asking why the Maltese vessel, Natasha-1, was released despite the fact that it was carrying missile launching pads.

Kara said that the vessel was released based on the 1936 Montreux Treaty and on Turkey´s contractual obligations regarding the passage of foreign trade vessels through the Turkish straits.

Aydin asked the following question: ``Has your government received any guarantees that the launching pads in the vessel that you have received will not reach south Cyprus?''. In reply Kara said the following: ``There is no guarantee that the material in the released vessels will not reach the Greek Cypriot administration. The transfer of the S-300 missiles to the south Cyprus Greek Cypriot administration can be realized through the Turkish straits or through the Strait of Gibraltar. There is the possibility of an air transfer as well''.

Kara recalled that the Foreign Ministry on 5 September 1997 released a Duty Coordination Directive in connection with vessels carrying cargo pertaining to the S-300 missiles, adding that the necessary inspection of the Natasha- 1 vessel was conducted in line with this directive.

[02] Utkan: Turkey´s views on moratorium, S-300´s unchanged

Speaking at his weekly news conference, Utkan assessed the Ankara visit of Thomas Miller, the US State Department´s special Cyprus coordinator.

Pointing out that Turkey maintains its views regarding the flight moratorium over Cyprus and the S-300 missiles, Utkan added: ``It is impossible to link the S-300 missiles to any other issue''.

There have been press reports saying Miller arrived in Ankara to bring a package of proposals on a flight moratorium over Cyprus and on the postponement of the arrival of the missiles on the island.

Noting that prior to his arrival, Miller did not inform the Foreign Ministry of any agenda or proposals, Utkan said that the reason for the visit was ``to exchange views with the sides.''

Utkan then recalled a statement made by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem saying:

``The S-300´s are not our problem. They brought this trouble upon themselves.''

In response to a question on a flight moratorium over Cyprus, Utkan said:

``It is impossible to bring forth the moratorium issue as though there is total calm and as though the Cyprus question has no other dimension''.

Miller, in a statement to the press after his meeting with Cem this morning, said that he came to Ankara empty-handed and that he did not bring any proposals with him.

[03] Turkish Ministry responds: No bargaining on S-300

An official from the Foreign Ministry told the Anatolia correspondent that ``the S-300 missiles are totally the problem of the Greek-Cypriot side. They created it so they will solve it''.

According to Anatolia, Thomas Miller, the Special Coordinator to Cyprus of the US Department of State, is expected to bring up the proposals for ``restarting the talks'' and a ``moratorium on the issue of flights over Cyprus'' during his contacts in Ankara.

The official said, ``we never accepted a moratorium. Our position doesn`t allow for these of anything as a means of bargaining against the S-300 missiles. We also don`t accept `the Greek-Cypriots give up the S-300s and you accept the moratorium´ approach.''

[04] Denktash meets new commanders; lauds Turkish army role

Denktash met with Major General Aydin Sen, so-called peace forces commander; Maj. Gen. Osman Pamukoglu, who was appointed commander of the 28th Division; and Brigadier General Ali Nihat Ozeyranli, who was appointed commander of the so-called the security forces.

In a statement at the meeting Denktash said: ``There are 70,000 Turkish martyrs in these territories called the baby country. Great efforts were exerted to peacefully counter the struggle waged to Hellenize the island and to enable both sides to live like human beings in Cyprus''. He claimed that the 1974 Turkish invasion brought peace to the island and democracy to Greece.

Denktash also commented on the current stage of the Cyprus problem and the new policy of participating in the talks on the basis of ``two states''. Denktash noted that the Turkish Cypriots have been living in tranquillity thanks to the Turkish soldiers and Turkey, and expressed the belief that if anything should happen the Turkish army will do whatever is necessary to preserve the peace.

[05] Miller meets Turkish officials; says no new proposals

Addressing the journalists after his meeting with Cem, Miller said that he has no new proposal on the issue of Cyprus.

Describing the meeting as very productive, Miller pointed out, ``You see I have no new proposal. Both the Turkish and Greek press have many hypotheses, but I will disappoint you one more time and make no comment.''

Millet stressed that it will be better to avoid making statements in order to provide progress on the issue.

Meanwhile Bulent Ecevit, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State, also received Miller.

Sukru Sina Gurel, the Minister of State Responsible for Relations with Cyprus, Mark Parris, the US Ambassador to Turkey, and other senior officials were in attendance at the meeting.

[06] Brig. Gen. Ozeyranli appointed ``security forces'' commander

[07] British ambassador to Turkey on S-300, Turkey´s EU membership

Speaking to journalists in the southern resort town of Antalya, Ambassador Logan said that Turkey was part of Europe and that to achieve EU membership, Turkey, like the other eleven candidate countries` has certain criteria to fulfill. He categorically denied that on the membership issue Turkey is being discriminated. The British government wants to see Turkey, which is part of Europe, as a stable country, with a high level of prosperity in the EU'' Ambassador Logan concluded.

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

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