Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 99-07-05

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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] Talat urges Turkish Cypriots to abide by UNSC resolution.

[02] US urges Turkish Cypriots to participate in talks.

[03] Denktash says no message from US to negotiate, claims Cyprus cannot unite.

[04] Turkey´s water supply to the occupied area suspended.

[05] Denktash addresses Turkic States Conference.

[06] Resolution adopted at OIC meeting refers to Cyprus.

[07] Five Turkish conditions for Cyprus talks reported.

[08] Ecevit assesses talks with IMF, stresses ``TRNC'' existence.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[09] Prime Minister Ecevit´s views on Cyprus reported.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat urges Turkish Cypriots to abide by UNSC resolution

Commenting on the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on Cyprus Talat said that it was no surprise. He pointed out that the new resolution refers to earlier UNSC resolutions on the issue and confirms the G-8´s call for talks without preconditions.

Talat stated that abiding by this call will be in the interests of the Turkish Cypriot side. He said: ``The UNSC resolution says that the talks should start without preconditions and on the basis of the political equality of the two sides. In fact, it says that the solution will also be based on this political equality. Consequently, it is in the interests of the Turkish Cypriot side to abide by this call, not to reject it''.

The CTP leader stated that the UNSC resolution justifies some of the concerns of the Turkish Cypriot side. He noted that one of the resolution´s articles says that both sides have various concerns. Therefore, Talat added, the Turkish Cypriot side must discuss its concerns at the negotiating table.

Talat said that the Turkish Cypriot side must not posit the precondition of the recognition of the pseudostate. It is important for the interests of the Turkish Cypriots, he added, to accept the UNSC resolutions and to start negotiations without preconditions.

[02] US urges Turkish Cypriots to participate in talks

Serdar Denktash, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, held talks with circles close to the US administration and the Congress in Washington. It has been ascertained that the US administration conveyed the following messages to Rauf Denktash through him:

- Comply with the UN call and agree to hold talks with the Greek Cypriot side in October.

- The initiative that has been made to have the Cyprus problem solved is very serious this time. Participating in the talks will be in your interest. Avoid creating the impression that you maintain an irreconcilable approach.

- You will not regret agreeing to participate in the talks.

- You will not return to the same point when the talks end.

The US administration wants Rauf Denktash to hold talks with President Glafkos Clerides early in October. The US officials welcomed the agreement reached between Ismail Cem and George Papandreou and said that they expect it to have a positive effect on the Cyprus problem.

Speaking at a think-tank establishment in Washington, Serdar Denktash claimed that everyone must realize that ``two states'' exist in Cyprus. He asserted that the Taiwan model is the best remedy for the Turkish Cypriot economy and noted that various domains like education and tourism will greatly improve if the embargo is lifted.

Replying to a question, Serdar Denktash alleged that the division of the island will be unavoidable if the Greek Cypriot side joins the EU.

Stressing that the pseudostate´s decision not to participate in the talks is ``very serious'', Denktash noted: ``However, I cannot predict what may happen until October.''

[03] Denktash says no message from US to negotiate; claims Cyprus cannot unite

Denktash said ``there are several conditions to sit at the negotiation table related with the talks. Everybody has to know this. We are making evaluations with Turkey. We have not received any invitation yet. Also, the UN Secretary General can not impose anything which one of the sides refuses to do. Thus, I don`t think he can call us to a meeting which we refused to come.''

Denktash said they continue on their path with the support and tolerance of Turkey.

Responding to another question Rauf Denktash claimed it should be understood clearly that Cyprus can not unite. ``Cyprus cannot unite. Two separate Cyprus will live forever. What we mean about uniting is the agreement of the two states. Otherwise, they will come and try to rule us. They should give up such dreams. There are two separate states in Cyprus. There may be cooperation and joint action between the two states. Yet, going back to the past is a dream,'' he stated.

[04] Turkey´s water supply to the occupied area suspended

Turkey´s General Directorate of State Hydraulics Affairs (DSI) has disclosed that the transportation of water will be resumed next week. Transportation began on 25 July 1998 in accordance with an agreement signed with the Nordic Water Supply Company.

The DSI General Directorate has said that the Norwegian firm has been using two balloons to transport water to the occupied area of Cyprus since 1998. Each of the balloons hold 20,000 cubic meters of water. The DSI officials disclosed that they have asked the firm to provide two new balloons and noted that one of them will be available next week.

The officials said that the firm is paid on the basis of the cubic meters of water it transports and noted that the DSI has not incurred any loss because of the accidents.

[05] Denktash addresses Turkic States Conference

He claimed: ``Those who want to remove us from Cyprus continue their propagandas in brother countries. According to them, we are a minority who try to divide a country. We want this fault to be corrected''. He asked the Turkish states to send representatives to observe ``what is going on in Cyprus.''

The condition of peace in Cyprus is complete equality, Denktash noted and added: ``The UN decisions do not bind TRNC, Turkey, or the brother countries''. Denktash reminded of President Demirel´s words ``Turkey will make it clear to the world that it sides with the TRNC''.

[06] Resolution adopted at OIC meeting refers to Cyprus

On his return from the OIC meeting held between 27 June and 2 July, Kececiler held a news conference at Ankara´s Esenboga Airport.

Noting that a resolution ``supporting the just cause of the Turkish Cypriot people'' was also adopted at the conference, Kececiler continued:

``With this resolution, the foreign ministers of the Islamic countries called on the sides in Cyprus to reciprocally recognize each other´s equal status, noted the importance of the side´s negotiating under equal status for the solution of the problem, and expressed pleasure over the confederation proposal TRNC President Rauf Denktash submitted on 31 August 1998.''

[07] Five Turkish conditions for Cyprus talks reported

The intensified US pressure for the solution of the Cyprus problem and the meeting held in New York between Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and Foreign Minister George Papandreou strengthened the possibility of intensified diplomatic initiatives on the future of the island in autumn. The United States wants the tension to be defused in the summer so that the sides can hold talks in the autumn.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is expected to call on the sides to meet in October. Meanwhile, Turkey and the ``TRNC'' will issue a joint declaration to disclose their views on 20 July.

Turkey and the pseudostate have disclosed that the ``equal status'' of the two sides is a prerequisite for a meeting on Cyprus. Contrary to the disclosures that have been made by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash on the recognition of the pseudostate, the officials maintain a favourable approach on the formula that will allow the sides to hold talks with an equal status. A high-ranking Turkish Foreign Ministry official said that the title of ``communal leader'' does not exist anymore and noted that the formula of ``two equal political entities'' might be accepted.

The conditions Turkey and the pseudostate will place on the agenda are: 1. The Base in Paphos must be closed down. The Turkish military officials said that the landing of Greek military planes at the base is announced only two minutes beforehand and claimed that that state of affairs poses a threat to targets in southern Turkey. 2. Links between the EU and Cyprus must be suspended. 3. Lawsuits filed against the ``TRNC'' in accordance with the appeals to the Council of Europe must be abated. Turkey´s stand is that lawsuits must be abated so that talks can be held in an atmosphere of trust and that disputes can be solved through direct talks between the two sides. 4. The embargo must be lifted. It is claimed that difference in the income of the two sides significantly increased as a result of the embargo on the Turkish Cypriot side, which does not have access to international markets and that the inequality will create problems for the partnership government. 5. Equal status of the Turkish and Greek Cypriot side must be recognized. It is claimed that the equal status of the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides must be recognized because talks can be held only between ``two equal political entities.'' A Turkish Foreign Ministry official said that the proposal Turkey and the ``TRNC'' have made for the establishment of a confederation is still valid and that they want the talks to be resumed on that basis.

[08] Ecevit assesses talks with IMF, stresses ``TRNC'' existence

Ecevit responded to the questions of reporters related with the meetings held with the IMF delegation. When a journalist said financial support which IMF will provide depends on the reforms of the government and when asked ``will there be a period for all the sections to be economical'', Ecevit said talks held with IMF did not have connection with this.

When recalled the evaluations that IMF would determine the financial aid according to Turkey´s compromise performance in its international policies such as Cyprus and Northern Iraq, Ecevit said:

``No. We will no mix it with political issue. First of all, existence of the TRNC is a fact. We cannot give up the existence of TRNC. Nobody should have dreams about it. We are announcing our ideas towards this end to all the people in the world''.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[09] Prime Minister Ecevit´s views on Cyprus reported

And Tinc continues: ``The tone of the message Ecevit conveyed in a polite way was very strong because he is convinced that the TRNC is an inalienable factor for Turkey´s security. He said: `Turkey guarantees the security of the TRNC. But that is not all. The TRNC guarantees Turkey´s security in the same way. Greece has supplied large quantities of arms to south Cyprus. Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriot side has given two large bases to that country. So, the TRNC provides security for Turkey´.

Ecevit is the prime minister who took the strongest action against Cyprus in the republic´s history. He said: `Any initiative to change the present structure in Cyprus will necessitate an international intervention similar to that in Bosnia.''

It must be noted that a glance at the political developments in the world will show that a strong storm is gradually building up in the Mediterranean.

TRNC President Rauf Denktash´s condition to participate in the talks that will be held under UN auspices is the recognition of the existence of two separate states in Cyprus. Bulent Ecevit said: `If you ask me, I will say that I have another condition. However, I respect Denktash´s decision. I support him´.

Ecevit´s condition is related to the embargo on the TRNC. He asserted:

`The Turkish side agreeing to participate in the talks before the embargo on the TRNC is lifted will be meaningless. That is because the Turkish Cypriot side has been treated very unjustly.´.

Nevertheless, Ecevit is convinced that the TRNC´s economy is gradually strengthening. He said that the national income per capita in northern Cyprus is more than that in Turkey and drew attention to the seven universities that exist in the TRNC, which has a population of 200,000 people.

Ecevit said that the TRNC decided to allow a number of casinos to operate under certain conditions and noted that he agreed with its decision.''

And Tinc concludes: ``Politics based on practical and material factors might often mislead people to live in a dream world. Ecevit is a politician who has maintained an uncompromising policy on Cyprus. However, very stupid and biased steps are taken at international platforms. That obstructs a practical approach to the problem.''

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

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