Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 99-07-28

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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. 132/99 -- 28.7.99

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Serdar Denktash slams ``Partnership Protocol'' with Turkey.

[02] Demirel discusses Cyprus problem during visit to Egypt.

[03] Turkish army finally evicts family.

[04] AVRUPA´s Sener Levent informs Ecevit´s Office of eviction incident.

[05] Patriotic Union Movement protests family´s eviction.

[06] Turkish Cypriot participation in basketball tournament.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Serdar Denktash slams ``Partnership Protocol'' with Turkey

Noting that the facilitation of the establishment of businesses in Turkey would encourage the already scant number of businessmen to stop investments in the pseudostate, and open businesses in Turkey and to live in Turkey ``as a Turk without problems'' rather than stay in the ``TRNC'' as a ``Turk with problems,'' Serdar Denktash added: ``Instead, we should have sought ways of striking deeper roots in our country and of strengthening us here.''

Speaking on KIBRIS FM´s ``Day´s Developments'' program the other day, Serdar Denktash said that the ``Partnership Council'' declaration was prepared without bringing it to the notice of the opposition, without taking the opposition´s opinions, and without sufficient debate on it. He asserted that it reflected only the wishes of the ``government''.

Serdar Denktash said: ``The following should be openly stated. The Partnership Council declaration was prepared without bringing to the notice of the opposition, without taking the opposition´s opinions, and without sufficient debate on it. After this declaration, which we learned from the press, moves toward annexation are being made and Turkey is being blamed for all that. There is something wrong here. Turkey has included in this agreement everything that our government has requested from Turkey. There is nothing there that has not been requested by the government.

That is why the esteemed President is saying that `if the criticism is genuine´ let us discus it. In our opinion some of the criticism has ulterior motives. But let me express my own party´s opinion: First of all, if the Turkish Cypriot businessmen are recognized facilities to establish businesses in Turkey then our already scant businessmen would stop or freeze their investments here and move to Turkey. And if their investments in Turkey succeed they would gradually curtail their investments in Cyprus and fire workers, leaving us to face a new big unemployment problem here.

On the one hand we are inviting investors from abroad, and on the other taking measures to get rid of our own investors. Why did Turkey include such a clause in the declaration? Because our government and businessmen asked for it. The businessmen might have the right to ask for it, as they want to make more money. They may be right from their own perspective, but if we think about the survival of the TRNC then we see that such an opportunity should not be recognized to them. We want to discuss all these problems.

The same applies to the granting of the Turkish Republic citizenship to the TRNC citizens. There are many citizens here who would like to live in Turkey as a Turk without a problem rather then live in Cyprus as a Turk with problems. Instead, we should work to find ways to strike deeper roots and strengthen ourselves here.''

Serdar Denktash went on to add that instead of creating their businessmen the opportunity for further investment and growth ``on their own lands'', instead of finding employment for the jobless, the ``government'' chose the easy path of ``why should I be concerned with these. I have 65-million- strong Turkey nearby and it could find solutions for my businessmen and nearby and it could find solutions for my businessmen and workers. Let them go and find employment in Turkey''.

Program presenter Taylan Kav asked Serdar Denktash, who had criticized the media for not sufficiently reporting the opposition´s position, why he had not expressed his views on this issue previously.

To that Serdar Denktash replied: ``We expressed these views at the Partnership Council meeting last year and a result they were not included in the final declaration. But they were included in the declaration this year, because that is what the government wanted. We did not want to talk about this openly in the press. We thought it should not be discussed publicly. We thought they were issues that needed to be debated among us. Moreover, it is beside the point whether or not they were publicly said. What was the right way to deal with the situation? Before the meeting the government should have told the opposition `we want this and that, or we intend to ask for this or that´ and thus open a debate on these issues. Then these mistakes would not have been committed.

What I want to say is that Turkey did not draw up this declaration motivated by a certain policy. The agreement was drawn up by taking the desires of the TRNC government into consideration. Now, this agreement is being debated. And, I ask: Where is the TRNC government, the author of this agreement? What does the government say on this issue? What is the opinion of the Prime Minister, who signed the agreement? How does he view this debate? Let him come forward to reply to these questions and own up to his own package. But, he is nowhere to be seen. We again see only the esteemed President and the opposition parties debating the issue.

I repeat, we have a problem with the content of the declaration. And we would like to solve the problems by debating them among us. For their open debate might create certain weaknesses in our foreign policy. Because we want to avoid such a thing, we are thinking of resolving the matter by contacting the relevant parties''.

Serdar Denktash said that ``even without such protocols, this government, which has closed its ear to the voice of the opposition and the citizens, would, with its performance and economic measures, hardly leave any Cypriot in the TRNC''.

[02] Demirel discusses Cyprus problem during visit to Egypt

In reply to a question on whether Turkey had any demands from Egypt, Demirel said: ``We explained the Cyprus issue.'' (EF)

[03] Turkish army finally evicts family

AVRUPA notes that the commander of the occupation forces, Brig. General Ali Nihat Ozeyranli has retracted the promise he gave to DP leader Serdar Denktash that he would give a week to the ``government'' to solve this problem. Ozeyranli yesterday sent Special Forces troops to evict the Ugursan family.

According to the paper, troops belonging to the Special Forces raided the house, forcefully evicted the family, arrested them, handcuffed even the children and took them into custody at the local police station.

AVRUPA says that prior to the raid, the Special Forces troops first blocked the village roads, stopped people and the journalists from reaching the scene, and then they broke into the house.

All the family´s belongings were taken out of the house and piled up in the nearby field in the open air.

The Ugursan family was kept in custody until the evening when they were set free. The family, reports AVRUPA, passed the night in the open air.

[04] AVRUPA´s Sener Levent informs Ecevit´s office of eviction incident

The paper says that Sener Levent described the incident to the Director of Ecevit´s Office, Zeynel Bey, who in turn, promised to convey the message to Ecevit.

Sener urged the Turkish officials to take urgent measures to avoid undesirable incidents.

(MY)

[05] Patriotic Union Movement protests family´s eviction

The statement describes the action as violation and trampling upon the human rights of the family and urges so-called non-governmental organizations to extend help to the family. It also calls the ``government'' to fulfil its responsibility.

(MY)

[06] Turkish Cypriot participation in basketball tournament

AVRUPA adds that the Turkish Cypriot team took part in the tournament following a special invitation.

The invitation, says the paper, was kept secret in order to avoid ``Greek Cypriot attempts to block the team´s visit there.'' (MY)

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

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