Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 99-07-29

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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. 133/99 -- 29/7/99

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] ``Radio Vatan'' launched.

[02] ``Democracy Platform'' to strike against price hikes 2 August.

[03] Denktash on Greek participation in military exercises in Cyprus.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] ``Radio Vatan'' launched

The inauguration ribbon was cut jointly by Rauf Denktash, Hasipoglu and Eroglu.

``CDO'' chief Zafer Celik (he is be replaced by Metin Senay on 27 July) said in his speech: ``As the CDO Chairmanship, we are proud to inaugurate the ´Kuzeyin Sesi Radyo Vatan´, which derives its name from our homeland.

The CDO, whose basic duty is to protect and rescue human lives in war and extraordinary situations and to keep the morale high behind the lines, has grown, developed, and spread across the homeland thanks to its activities and to the interest and support shown in it by the Ataturkist, patriotic and industrious Turkish Cypriot people''.

Celik went on to add that ``Radyo Vatan would become the voice of our people, the translator of their needs, feelings and enthusiasm''.

The radio which would be transmitting on 100.4 and 104.3 MHz frequencies 24 hours a day, will carry music, current affairs programs, news, as well as educational broadcasts on civil defense.

[02] ``Democracy Platform'' to strike against price hikes 2 August

The 14 organizations got together at the premises of the so-called Turkish Cypriot Civil Servants Union on 27 July. The organizations held a joint news conference and announced the decisions reached at the meeting.

Ali Can Kabakci, leader of the Turkish Cypriot Farmers Union, speaking on behalf of the ``Democracy Platform'' said that the workers and producers are being destroyed in the pseudo-sate adding that wrong and baseless policies have brought the people to the brink of destruction. Noting that the ``Platform'' is determined to force the ``government'' to revoke its decision on the price hikes, Kabakci said that workers in all sectors will begin a strike as of next week in order to issue a serious warning to the ``government''.

[03] Denktash on Greek participation in military exercises in Cyprus

He further claimed that the pseudostate ``was established, consolidated, and celebrated its 16th anniversary as a reaction to this erroneous Greek Cypriot stand''. Denktash continued: ``Will they now declare war in order to eliminate the TRNC? Have they gone crazy? On whom will they declare war? Are they not aware of Turkey´s existence? What kind of folly is this?''

Denktash called on the Greek Cypriots ``to lay down their arms as soon as possible,'' adding that only then can good-neighbour relations be established. He continued: ``We guarantee that nothing will happen to them. Let us establish neighbourly relations based on the principle of two states. Let them relax, let Cyprus relax, let Turkey and Greece relax. They should, however, renounce their armament efforts. Let them immediately begin removing from the island the sophisticated weaponry they have been purchasing or let them throw the weapons into the sea, because they serve no purpose. The weapons they have been purchasing will backfire''.

Upon being reminded of the statement Thomas Miller, US State Department´s special Cyprus coordinator, made to the effect that the two leaders should sit at the negotiating table without any conditions, Denktash claimed that this demand is in itself the biggest precondition.

Denktash said that President Clerides wants to hold the tAlks within the framework of the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, adding, however, that ``those resolutions note that there should be no tampering with the state and the government''. Denktash underlined that the resolutions state that the two communities standing under this state and government should hold talks. Noting that the Turkish side wants ``the realities'' to be acknowledged and accepted, Denktash added that the Greek Cypriots and the world should accept that the two partners are now ``states''. He said: ``This reality will not change. There is no point in engaging in polemics by ignoring this reality. Calling for talks without conditions is in itself a precondition. We are saying that we will participate in the talks as long as they are held between two states. This is not a condition; it is an invitation to accept the realities''.

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

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