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

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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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Israel denies being asked to side with Turkey over Cyprus.

[02] Denktash to write to France´s Jospin on Cyprus ``realities''.

[03] Denktash issues new threats against Greek Cypriots, insists on recognition.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Israel denies being asked to side with Turkey over Cyprus

Yilmaz´s visit to Israel, the most important stopover, follows reports from the local press of Tel Aviv´s enthusiasm for using its military ties with Ankara as the basis for a regional defense alliance.

Before leaving Jordan, Yilmaz said in Jordan that Turkey´s military cooperation with Israel could expand into a regional pact only after peace had been achieved in the Middle East. ``If there is peace, then this bilateral cooperation can be transformed into a multilateral one'', Yilmaz told reporters during a joint press conference with Prince Hassan.

The idea of Turkey and Israel leading a regional defense alliance was expressed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said in a speech during last week´s North Atlantic Initiative conference that, ``The central axis between Israel and Turkey is the basis, though not the exclusive basis, to form a regional framework here''.

A response to Netanyahu was given by Turkey´s ambassador to Tel Aviv, Barlas Ozener, commenting last week that such a collective structure could not be formed before Israel solved its disputes with its Arab neigbours.

After greeting Yilmaz at a military ceremony, Netanyahu remarked that the cooperation between Israel was ``barred to none.'' Yilmaz was later taken to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum.

Turkey and Israel have been developing military ties since 1996, exchanging warplanes for training, conducting naval maneuvers and signing several defense and trade deals. Both Turkey and Israel have been trying to assure Arab countries that criticized the military cooperation between them that the bilateral ties between Ankara and Tel Aviv did not target any third country in the region.

Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai on Monday denied reports that Israel was being asked to side with Turkey against Greece in the dispute over Cyprus. Israeli army radio had said in an unattributed report that the visiting Turkish prime minister was asking Israel for military assistance in case war breaks out with Greece over control of Cyprus.

``We are not doing anything with Turkey against any other country in the Middle East, certainly not against Cyprus'', Mordechai told reporters.

In July, the Turkish Daily News reported that Turkish warplanes had conducted exercises in Israel to practice evading Russian anti-aircraft missile radar. Similar reports in the Turkish press sparked speculation that the Turkish pilots were being trained to hit the Russian-made S-300 missiles which are planned to be deployed by Cyprus authorities on the island in November.

Netanyahu said that the Jewish nation would not forget that Turkey had opened its doors to the Jews who fled the Nazi persecution during World War II.

Yilmaz stated that Turkey wanted peace and stability in the entire region and supported the continuation of the Middle East peace process between Israelis and Palestinians. The peace process is currently at a deadlock, with both sides accusing each other of not complying with the Oslo accords. He also invited Netanyahu to Turkey.

The Turkish prime minister additionally expressed Turkey´s hopes to increase the bilateral trade volume to $2 billion a year. Both the Turkish and Israeli foreign ministries said Yilmaz´ visit to Israel was economically important, the Yediot Aharanot daily reported on Monday.

Yediot quoted a senior Israeli official as saying the visit was intended to correct ``the distorted image that relations between the two countries are based only on the military-security dimension.''

[02] Dentkash to write to France´s Jospin on Cyprus ``realities''

Referring to Greek Cypriot rejections of his recent proposal for the establishment of a Cyprus confederation, Denktash claimed that ``as long as the Greek Cypriots maintain their current mentality, a common state will never be possible.''

[03] Denktash issues new threats against Greek Cypriots, insists on recognition

Rauf Denktash issued threats saying that ``a new attack on the TRNC could only serve the expansion of our borders''. He added: ``If they want to live with us as neighbours in Cyprus, they should know that they do not have the right to even point a pen toward the Turkish people in the north, let alone fire weapons. They should see us as the owner of our own state, recognize our equality, respect our sovereignty, and on that basis discuss with us the conditions of good-neighbourly existence. The latest proposal that we submitted has opened this door for them. However, this door will not remain open forever. Let them be aware of this.''

And he further stated: ``The walls between us are getting higher. The abyss between us is getting deeper. The possibilities of reunification are fading. Therefore, you should assess well the latest proposal that I made to you. Do not think that in submitting those proposals I have come to believe that you have given up the desire for and policy of savagery, hostility toward the Turks, and turning Cyprus into an Hellenic island. The proposal that we have made is one based on sovereignty and statehood that would be sufficient to defend our state against you, so that if you again lose your way in future and attack us, you will not be able to deceive the world by saying that this is only an internal matter and no one should interfere. This is what lies under the proposal. We insist on the recognition of our state, which is based on the blood we have shed for our freedom, equality, sovereignty, and former co-founder jurisdictions stemming from the rights recognized to us and Turkey under the 1960 agreements--rights which you fought to eliminate but could not do so completely. We insist that this recognition should serve as the basis (for the talks). We are not even discussing, and we are not going to discuss, it (the precondition that the state be recognized and form the basis of the talks) with you. A confederation is based on the existence of two states. If you are for it, fine. If not, then continue to arm yourselves, buy as much arms as your economy can shoulder, but do not forget one thing: No matter how huge an arms depot you turn the south into, you are condemned to be crushed by a 65-million-strong Turkey. You turned down every peace formula that the glorious motherland has been patiently developing over the years. There is no need for me to enumerate them once again. If you have enough sense, you should assess well our latest proposal, which our motherland supports and will support to the very end.

We are not offended, but saddened that the peacekeeping soldiers of the UN Security Council, which regards you as the government, are covering up your treacherous crimes by obtaining salaries and money from you as the government and by recognizing you as the government. An end should be put to this injustice. The Security Council should now adopt a decision on the realities of Cyprus, the legal situation, and human rights; declare that the Turkish Cypriots cannot be colonized, and support an agreement based on two peoples, two democracies, and two states. Otherwise the present situation will continue.''

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

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