Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 98-09-03

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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. 161/98 -- 3.9.98

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat criticizes Dentkash´s confederation proposal.

[02] Turkish Foreign Ministry briefs envoys on Titina Loizidou COE decision.

[03] Ankara on rejection of Denktash´s proposal.

[04] Diplomatic sources on reactions to Denktash proposal.

[05] Turkey´s Ecevit to pay illegal visit on 5 September.

[06] Denktash claims Non-aligned resolution could complicate problem.

[07] Ecevit: Cyprus problem `resolved´ for Turkish side.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat criticizes Denktash´s confederation proposal

Talat held a news conference yesterday to announce the views of the CTP regarding the confederation proposal. During the news conference, Talat also replied to questions by journalists on various issues. Emphasizing the mistake in abandoning the phrase federation and opting for a confederation, Talat said: ``It is as though they are trying to derive a benefit from the other side´s rejection of the proposal.''

Talat stated: ``It is necessary to interpret the facts well when assessing the confederation proposal, which runs counter to the guarantee and alliance agreements. Mr. Denktash, who stresses that the talks can begin and that everything can be discussed on the basis of two separate states, is now changing his attitude once again, with the support of Turkey. The world, which believed that a federation can also be discussed on the basis of two states, is now faced with a confederation foundation which contradicts all previous understandings, the summit agreements, as well as the UN resolutions. What is more, this vindicates the Greek Cypriot side and Greece, which have been claiming that the Turkish Cypriot side wants division and a confederation rather than a federation.''

Pointing out that proposals that are announced to the public before they are submitted to their interlocutors cannot but be considered to lack diplomatic seriousness, Talat also criticized the fact that the opposition learned about the proposal a few hours before it was made public. Moreover, Talat charged, the pseudo-assembly has not authorized Denktash to submit such a proposal.

Talat said that the articles cited in the confederation proposal created the impression that they were designed to result in the proposal´s being rejected. He said that the new element noting that it is possible to become an EU member before Turkey indicates that the proposals were made with the firm belief that they will be rejected. Talat noted that the day-to-day policies of first changing the foundation of intercommunal talks for a ``state-to-state'' basis and soon after submitting a proposal for a confederation damage the Turkish Cypriot community as well as Turkey.

Talat declared that his party considers a federation the only mutually acceptable solution and made certain suggestions to initially reduce the tension. He asked that the decision to deploy the S-300 missiles on the island be renounced, that the talks between the EU and the Greek Cypriot side be frozen, that the embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriot side be lifted, that the Greek-Greek Cypriot defense doctrine be abolished, that the arms race and activities that exacerbate the military tension be abandoned, and that work be undertaken to reduce armament efforts. ``The necessity for the Turkish Cypriot side to participate in the EU-Cyprus negotiation process must also be recognized ``, the CTP leader demanded.

Replying to reporters´ questions, Talat said that he will hold a news conference in the coming days to assess the party´s performance in the past five years. In response to another question, Talat said that he does not have any property or money abroad and that the assets he owns on the island were inherited.

[02] Turkish Foreign Ministry briefs envoys on Titina Loizidou COE decision

The representatives, who were invited to the Foreign Ministry in two groups, ``were shown that the COE decision is full of contradictions and impossible to implement''. The Foreign Ministry also told the representatives that ``with this decision, the COE is acting as the defense attorney of the Greek Cypriots'' and ``is undermining its own credibility.''

Meanwhile, according to Anatolia Agency (12:50 hours, 2.9.98) Necati Utkan, the Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman, claimed on Wednesday that the decision of the European Court of Human Rights which charged Turkey to pay compensation to Titina Loizidou, does not have the capacity to be implemented.

Responding to questions of journalists about the Loizidou case, Utkan repeated that the views of Turkey concerning the case have been explained to Council of Europe (COE) member countries´ representatives to Turkey on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Faruk Logoglu, the Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary held a briefing to the COE representatives and told them that ``property problems on Cyprus don´t concern Turkey, they have to be solve between the two sides and this problem is an element of the Cyprus question.'' And then claimed that ``Turkey doesn´t have public authority in TRNC territory''. Alleging that the COE should not be transformed into an institution which serves to the interests of the Greek Cypriot´s side, Utkan said that ``COE should behave in a more careful way.''

``The relations of COE with Turkey is far more important than issues which are not related with the essence of the Cyprus question,'' Utkan alleged.

The case was brought by Loizidou before the European Commission of Human Rights in 1989.

The Commission had declared the application as admissible and transferred it to the European Court of Human Rights.

The Court decided that Turkish officials seized the properties of Loizidou and charged Turkey for paying 300,000 Cypriot pounds as compensation for pecuniary loss, and 200,000 Cypriot pounds for pain and suffering and 147, 000 Cypriot pounds for the court costs.

[03] Ankara on rejection of Denktash´s proposal

Addressing a weekly press briefing, Utkan said that ``there isn´t an official response given to the confederation proposal of Rauf Denktash, there are only first reactions. Denktash issued his statement at 12:00 on Monday, Greece rejected the proposal at 14:00. The Greek Cypriot side responded later. Greek and the Greek Cypriot pair is conditioned to reject everything,'' he claimed.

Noting that Turkey could not give any meaning to the negative response given by France to the proposal of Rauf Denktash, Utkan said that these first evaluations are considered as reflex and Turkey hopes that the proposal will be understood by time.

Describing the initiative of Denktash as ``a serious one'', Utkan claimed that the proposal does not have any tactical purposes and it is a reasonable one which can be realized. Utkan said that ``everybody who has wisdom and conscience has to claim ownership over this initiative.''

Utkan alleged that the proposals of Denktash aim to open way for the good will mission of the UN Secretary General and other proposals can be developed within the same framework.

``This proposal has a great advantage, it is realistic and aims to solve the problems. Denktash also says that he is ready to start negotiations'', said Utkan.

[04] Diplomatic sources on reactions to Denktash proposal

Denktash will explain the proposal in detail to Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General in a letter, and after the submission of the proposal to UN General Assembly by Volkan Vural, the Turkish Permanent Representative to the UN in September as ``cover letter'', it will be recorded as a UN document.

Turkish Foreign Ministry high ranking officials claim that the Greek Cypriot side and Greece which have immediately rejected the proposal are in trouble now and it will be difficult for them to take a step back after showing this first reaction.

Diplomatic sources pointed out that Turkey expects Western countries to evaluate the proposal well. Turkey thinks that after carefully examining the proposal, the western countries particularly the US can suggest the Cyprus Government that the proposal can be negotiated.

A high ranking diplomat said that the negative statements of Greek Cypriots do not constitute an end of the issue, adding that if the proposal is fully rejected, Turkey and ``TRNC'' can further get closer to each other.

Another high ranking official said that the guarantorship rights of Turkey on Cyprus stemming from the 1960 Treaties will be granted during the negotiations of the proposal.

Recalling that the proposal includes very general and basic elements with its existing form, the same official said that if the two sides accept the proposal, Cyprus can join the EU.

Another official said that ``TRNC'' and Turkey still ask for the abolishment of embargo on the ``TRNC'', and this was put forward by Denktash as a condition to start negotiations between the two sides on Cyprus.

[05] Turkey´s Ecevit to pay illegal visit on 5 September

Ecevit, who was Prime Minister during the 1974 Turkish invasion, will take part in the so-called ``Limnitis liberation anniversary celebrations'' and lay the foundation stones of the so-called National Lottery Anatolia Lyceum and the ``Kyrenia Rehabilitation Center'' buildings.

Ecevit will also hold talks with pseudostate ``officials''.

[06] Denktash claims Non-aligned resolution could complicate problem

Denktash visited the 39t6h Division yesterday. He was met by Lieutenant General Aydin Sen, commander of the so-called Turkish peace forces, and by Lt. Gen. Dogan Temel, commander of the 39th Division. In a speech there, Denktash said that the aim of his visit was to raise the morale of the soldiers.

He pointed out that the Greek Cypriots say that the new proposal he made is not in line with the Security Council resolutions. Denktash said: ``We ask if the Greek Cypriots are going to deploy the S-300 missiles based on the Security Council resolutions.''

Denktash claimed that what the Security Council wants from the two sides in Cyprus is for them to find a formula whereby they can live willingly side by side.

Denktash claimed: ``The Security Council did ask us for a recipe to ensure understanding in Cyprus. We presented such a recipe.

Consequently, a resolution adopted by the non-aligned summit, at which we are not represented, will naturally be unjust and will not be binding on us.''

[07] Ecevit: Cyprus problem `resolved´ for Turkish side

Ecevit was replying to reporters´questions on his upcoming illegal visit to Cyprus. A reporter recalled that Greece rejected Denktash´s confederation proposal and asked: ``Do you think the road to a solution is now closed?''. Ecevit replied that as far as Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots are concerned, the Cyprus problem was resolved a long time ago, adding: ``If there is a lack of solution, it is only from the viewpoint of the Greek Cypriots and Greece. And if they act realistically, they will admit that the situation existing in Cyprus is a realistic solution for them too. There used to be constant fighting in Cyprus before the Peace Operation. Cyprus used to be a poor island. There used to be oppression there. Since the Turkish Peace Operation in Cyprus, however, there has been constant peace, tranquillity, security, democracy, and economic growth. There cannot be a better solution.''

A reporter asked: ``Earlier, a bizonal federation policy was being pursued in Cyprus. The new policy now seems to be toward a confederation.

Can you comment on that?'' Ecevit replied claiming that with the opening of the EU door to the Greek Cypriots, it was as if a federation was set up de facto between the Cyprus Government and the EU. In such a situation, he claimed, there would be no room left on the island for a federation with Turkey. He added: ``From now on, there can only be an organization based on the acceptance of two equal and independent states in Cyprus.''

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

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