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Sunday, 22 December 2024
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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 99-01-27Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIANo. 14/99 -- 27.1.99[A] NEWS ITEMS
[A] NEWS ITEMS[01] General Staff proposes plan for cross-border watersAccording to Anatolia Agency (10:30 hours, 26 January 99) the Office of Turkey´s Chief of the General Staff has said that if an agreement can be reached on the three-stage plan proposed by Turkey in connection with the cross-border waters, in addition to the water dispute in the Euphrates- Tigris region, very significiant progress can be made regarding other disputes in the region as well. The above is included in a report it drew up entitleld ``The Cross-Border Waters''.The report discloses Tureky´s three-stage plan, which is described as being based on the criteria of optimal, fair, and rational usage, as follows: ¨ The water saurces in the Euphrates-Tigris region must be determined in the form of serious and scientific data. ¨ A land inventory and classification must be made in the countries concerned and the water needs determined. ¨ Water allocation must be made in light of these two groups of data. The report says that the plan has two important aspects. It points out that the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers merge naturally in Shatt Al´ Arab and artificially through the Tartar canal and must be considered as a single waterway crossing the broder. Furthermore, the report says, the work conducted by the countries for the collection and assessment of the data is vastly different; therefore, the inventory on the water and land resources must be made jointly so that it can constitute the basis for a sound comparison. In its report, the Office of the Chief of the General Staff says: ``Even though Turkey, as an upper littoral country, has the possibility of controlling the waters of the Euphrates and the Tigris, it has never claimed absolute sovereignty.'' The report says that the water problems of Syria and Iraq stem not from insufficient water but from their inabiilty to carry out rational irrigation of their agricultural land. The report says: ``In terms of world averages, Turkey is not a water-rich country. For example, Iraq´s water potential is greater than Turkey´s''. The report points out that there are no significant problems concerning the cross-border or border waters between Turkey and Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, and Iran. [02] Turkish General Staff supports confederationAccording to CUMHURIYET (26.1.99) the Office of the Turkish Chief of Staff has published a report entitled ``Aegean Turkish-Greek-Cyprus'' in which the problems between Greece and Turkey were put on the table. Regarding Cyprus, the report says:``Settlement in Cyprus lies in the confederation (sub head) Despite the strong oppoosition by the international public opinion, the south Cyprus Greek Administration (SCGA) continues to follow a policy of escalating tension. The per capita defence spending in the SCGA is 850 US dollars and this amount is equal to that of the USA. As part of the joint Defense Doctrine, Greece and the SCGA have integrated their military plans. Acquisition of heavy weapons, completion of an airbase and construction of a naval base are extremely serious and provocative developments that might destroy peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. For a lasting peace, the TRNC President proposed a Cyprus confederation. We believe that this structure will contribute to the security of both sides and will safeguard both peoples´ identity and prosperity.'' From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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