Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-05-03

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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. 82/00 -- 3.5.00

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash meets Portugal/s Gama.

[02] Turkey/s Ecevit to illegally visit occupied area in May.

[03] Denktash trying to establish direct contact with EU.

[04] Denktash accuses ``government'' of harassing supporters.

[05] Turkish Cypriot Chamber: Turkish Banks are exploiting locals.

[06] ``Tourist bridge'' between pseudostate and Adana.

[07] Imports, exports.

[08] Pseudostate at Dubai tourism fair.

[09] Pseudostate/s economic problems.

[10] Denktash to give lecture in Istanbul.

[11] World Turkish Youth Union meeting.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[12] ``Technology Development Mobilization'' for ``TRNC''.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash meets Portugal/s Gama

Speaking before the meeting, Denktash said that they would exchange views, adding, ``I welcome Gama as the President of the Turkish Cypriots. I was re-elected to this office a short time ago''.

Gama said in his part that the aim of his visit to the island is to further improve the EU process started with the Greek Cypriots and to help in the solution of the Cyprus problem.

``Did you bring with you new ideas to make the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides join the EU process together?'' asked a journalist to Gama who replied it by saying this was his aim. Gunter Verhaugen who came to the island a short while ago also had the same target, Gama added.

Gama said that when he returned to his country, he would inform the EU countries about his contacts in Cyprus.

So-called deputy prime minister Mustafa Akinci also participated in the meeting.

Anatolia (18:00 hours, 2.5.00) further reports that, speaking after the meeting with Gama, Denktash said that the Turkish Cypriot side does not want the efforts aimed at finding a solution tot he Cyprus problem to be removed from their UN framework.

Pointing out that Gama is a good listener and that he has a sound approach to the Cyprus issue, Denktash continued:

``All they want is to speedily solve the Cyprus issue. They know that it will be resolved within the UN and not the EU framework. That is what they want. They have no intention of drawing the issue into a European framework in a bid to solve it. This is quite comforting for us. Because neither do we want the problem to be taken out of the UN framework. It was an in-depth meeting. We are very pleased''.

In reply to a question, Denktash said that they want separate contacts with the EU without the mediation of the Greek Cypriots, adding that they also want the paths of EU aid to be kept open. He added: ``Naturally, they are also assessing these issues''.

Denktash stated that the Portuguese official did not bring any proposals and that he just listened.

Gama did not issue a statement after the meeting.

[02] Turkey/s Ecevit to illegally visit occupied area in May

Ecevit will visit the pseudostate after the presidential elections in Turkey for ``official'' contacts and consultations with the ``TRNC officials'' on the eve of the third round proximity talks to be held in New York on 23 May. Ecevit will also personally congratulate Rauf Denktash on his re-election as ``president''.

[03] Denktash trying to establish direct contact with EU

[04] Denktash accuses ``government'' of harassing supporters

Pointing out that Ahmet Ialkan from occupied Kythrea who worked for him during the ``election'' period, was fired from the ``Kooperatif Merkez Bank'', Denktash called ``on the government to abandon this stand''. He said that he will continue to expose such incidents.

Noting that he informed Dervis Eroglu of the situation first by phone and then in written form, Denktash added that, however, he has not received a reply. Denktash concluded: ``They cannot oppress the people while administering the country with money sent by Turkey. We shall not allow it''.

[05] Turkish Cypriot Chamber: Turkish Banks are exploiting locals

The strongly-worded written statement issued by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce assembly said: ``Stop exploiting our depositors whose deposits you have been channelling in torrents into your safes by hiding behind Turkish Republic/s guarantee and by benefiting from the TRNC/s weakness, which you see as an opportunity to secure advantages for yourselves''.

Calling especially on a specific bank to prove that it is there for service and nor for opportunism, the Chamber of Commerce said that ``our people and the Chamber itself will not forget the injustice and coercion they have been subjected to''.

It is believed that the bank in question, whose name was not revealed in the statement, is Turkiye Is Bankasi.

The statement also called on the local banks to join forces against this unjust competition and duplicity.

In its statement, the Chamber of Commerce also criticized the ``government'' with a caustic language. Calling on the businessmen to join forces against the existing duplicity, the Chamber accused the ``government'' of being lost in ``a deep dream'', adding, ``if you sleep a little bit more, you will find neither us nor the economy around when you wake up''.

[06] ``Tourist bridge'' between pseudostate and Adana

The aim is to create a tourist bridge between Adana and Cyprus.

[07] Imports, exports

In the article it is said that every year production in the pseudostate is reducing. Actually, they import almost everything from Turkey and other countries while they cannot export anything apart from citrus fruit, due to the international embargoes and domestic problems.

In the past they used to export 100 thousand tons of citrus fruit a year, but now they export only 20,000 tons.

[08] Pseudostate at Dubai tourism fair

The fair, which opened yesterday at the Dubai World Trade Center, will end on 5th of May.

The pseudostate participated in the fair after the initiatives of the so- called representative of the pseudostate in Abu Dhabi.

[09] Pseudostate/s economic problems

He said that public funds are not properly used.

``If the assistance sent from Turkey is used in a responsible manner, the economic structuring in Cyprus will advance toward the direction all of us wish for'' he said.

Yucaoglu added that, although not of the same magnitude, the problems being faced in the occupied area are not much different from those in Turkey. He said that the diagnosis they have made and the treatment they have proposed for Turkey is valid for the occupied area as well.

Yucaoglu further said that TUSIAD has published a report on ``TRNC Economy - Problems and Proposals'' in 1998 where all the problems facing the occupied area were mentioned. He said that since 1998 nothing has been done. He complained that TUSIAD/s proposals were not taken into consideration.

[10] Denktash to give lecture in Istanbul

[11] World Turkish Youth Union meeting

Thirty four chairmen of Youth Unions from 24 Turkic states will participate in the meeting.

Arikli will give a lecture at the meeting on the Cyprus problem.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[12] ``Technology Development Mobilization'' for ``TRNC''

``The people who make up foreign and domestic policy in Cyprus have at the same time a mission to spiritually uplift and bring happiness to the people of TRNC. No matter how successful the policies made in an environment where society is unhappy, they will fail in the long run. In order for society to be able to feel happy, they must reach a certain level of development before anything else. This level is usually expressed by the national income per capita. There is no doubt that TRNC is comparing its development with that of Greek Cyprus. It is for this reason then that TRNC has to aim at increasing its income per capita to that of Greek Cyprus, that is $15, 000 per annum'', he says.

He then goes on to propose that the pseudostate has the potential to initiate an effective ``development mobilization program'' and be totally successful with it, too. ``This success is also capable of turning northern Cyprus into a technology zone. Forget growing oranges in northern Cyprus, which has a well educated population who all speak English very well, which has got academicians, tens of thousands of university students and hundreds of thousands of people in Western countries, especially Britain, we should be successful now at controlling the Internet, at writing computer software, things that no sales embargo can prevent.

Only a developed Turkish society can respond the ploys being acted out against TRNC. This is because it is possible to bring an undeveloped society to its knees both spiritually and materially in short space of time. This would lead to the Turkic world losing Cyprus for good.

Economic development can be achieved through developing technology, increasing productivity and widening the service sector. A productive society will, before anything else, develop a sense of self confidence, will gain a vast spiritual richness and will be able to protect its national and spiritual values. Spiritual well being is the most reliable basis from which to overcome our difficulties. The best way to achieve this basis is to immediately initiate a wide ranging technological development mobilization.''

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

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