Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-06-20

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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] De Soto hopes UN resolution will not affect indirect Cyprus.

[02] Ankara conveys `unease/ to UN/s de Soto over latest Cyprus resolution.

[03] Eroglu: Course of 3rd round of talks will be determined by UNSC stand.

[04] Barsony mets Denktash.

[05] Denktash: Turkish Cypriots do not need UN, have Turkish soldiers for protection.

[06] Crisis among "coalition" partners.

[07] Another bank suspends operations.

[08] Turkish Cypriot Farmers Union stage protest action against economic situation.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] De Soto hopes UN resolution will not affect indirect Cyprus

Responding to the questions of reporters in Ankara/s Esenboga Airport, De Soto said he would exchange views with the Turkish officials.

When journalists reminded De Soto the reaction of Turkey and the pseudostate to the recent decision of the UN De Soto said he hoped this decision would not effect third round of proximity talks. De Soto also said he understood the reaction of Turkey.

De Soto was scheduled to meet with Faruk Logoglu, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary, within the framework of his contacts. De Soto will be received by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem on Tuesday, and will later depart from Turkey.

[02] Ankara conveys `unease/ to UN/s de Soto over latest Cyprus resolution

The meeting lasted for 70 minutes.

Responding to the questions of reporters following the meeting, De Soto said they discussed recent developments regarding the Cyprus question, and noted that he is scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Ismail Cem on Tuesday.

De Soto said he would be able to make a statement after meeting with Cem.

When asked if he was "hopeful", De Soto said he has never lost hope.

It was reported that Ankara in detail conveyed the unease it felt over the recent decision of the UN.

[03] Eroglu: Course of 3rd round of talks will be determined by UNSC stand

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash held a routine meeting with Eroglu and Mustafa Akinci, "state minister and deputy prime minister".

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Eroglu said that they discussed current matters, especially the UNSC resolution on the extension of the UNFICYP mandate. Eroglu noted that they will continue to assess this matter, adding "At this stage, the government of the TRNC must take certain measures. We assessed those measures and will continue to assess them."

A reporter asked Eroglu what measures will be taken in wake of the UNSC resolution and whether the resolution will affect the course of the talks. Eroglu replied: "We have not yet decided what kind of measures to take. We are working on that. We will determine our stand after we see whether the UNSC insists on its position. Of course, the messages UN special envoy de Soto will give in Ankara are also important. We will take the measures that are necessary to protect our rights and to make the world hear of our rights".

Later, following a meeting with Andras Barsony, Cyprus rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Eroglu told the press that Barsony was visiting Cyprus and conferring with officials before writing up his report. Eroglu said that Barsony would present the draft report to the concerned sides first. He noted that at their meeting he had the opportunity to reiterate once again the Turkish Cypriot side/s views on the Cyprus question. He added that he also raised the issue of the "embargo" and the latest UNSC resolution on the UNFICYP mandate.

Akinci said after his meeting with Barsony that he had the opportunity to reiterate his views and reply to questions. Akinci said that he pointed out that reaching a just solution to the Cyprus problem that has been going on for years will be in the interests not only of the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, but of Turkey and Greece as well. He said: "I have always said that there are two important factors for the solution of the Cyprus problem. One is the relations between Turkey and Greece. We know that positive developments are taking place in both fields. For the first time after long years, Turkish and Greek soldiers participated in joint exercises. However, the positive developments in Turkish European and Turkish-European and Turkish-Greek relations have not been reflected in Cyprus yet. Certain things must be done to make that happen. Firstly, it must be accepted that there is no single state but two equal units in Cyprus, and that the basic issue is to create conditions where one of these units does not dominate the other".

Akinci said that he underlined two points to Barsony, one being the lifting of the addendum to the UNSC resolution, which meant a denial of the Turkish Cypriot presence in Cyprus. This is not a good approach, Akinci said, and the UNFICYP should serve in Cyprus with the approval of both sides, not only of one of the sides. "We told Barsony that this UN approach gives out very wrong messages. The second point we underlined was that the EU is pursuing a very wrong policy by declaring that the Greek Cypriots are the only owners of Cyprus and that they can join the EU as members even if an agreement is not reached in Cyprus".

Akinci expressed the hope that Barsony will draw up a balanced report on Cyprus and include the Turkish Cypriots/ concerns. "If the EU wants to help reach a solution in Cyprus and all its efforts show that it does then it must see that there are two equal units in Cyprus and that these two units will be represented as a single unit in the international arena. We held a very useful meeting in this regard", Akinci added.

[04] Barsony meets Denktash

In a statement following his meeting with Rauf Dnektash, Barsony said that it was a good and beneficial meeting. He noted that the position of the Turkish Cypriot side was clarified and he had the opportunity to determine the issue to be discussed in the proximity talks scheduled for next month. He stressed that he wants to help reach a solution to the Cyprus problem, adding: "Our course our role is not to become a side to the proximity talks but to help the sides reach an agreement. The island is a partner of the Council of Europe, therefore the Council has a special responsibility to help solve the problem."

Denktash said, in turn, that it was a good and comprehensive meeting. He noted that at the meeting, Barsony learned of several issues in connection with the Cyprus problem which he did not know before.

[05] Denktash: Turkish Cypriots do not need UN, have Turkish soldiers for protection

"We are thinking about the measures over UN Peace Force and our decisions will be announced and implemented soon," Denktash said.

Denktash added the first thing he tells the visiting EU diplomats is that "there is not Cyprus government from the legal point of view". "Their answer is that `forget about the legal aspect, its presence has been accepted politically/" Denktash said and added that the EU diplomats are "closing the door of Law". He said when he tells the incidents that took place in the recent past in Cyprus, the EU diplomats say "those are history" and they also say that "the whole world recognizes the Cyprus government". "We are opposing this injustice," Denktash alleged.

He also said that when he asks the EU diplomats how such a government can be recognized, they respond by telling them "they should stop looking back at history and look into the future". Denktash claimed that currently "there are two states and two separate nations that have different languages and religions". He said they needed a bridge between the "two states" in order to make progress over the Cyprus issue. "Let us speak from state to state, let/s discuss cooperation and found a confederation", Denktash said. EU diplomats, on the other hand suggest establishing a federation, he said.

Speaking about the decision to keep the UN Peace Force in Cyprus through the approval of the Cyprus government, Denktash said the Security Council added an addendum when they strongly opposed six months ago. "This partly satisfied the Turkish Cypriots", Denktash said. "However, following the addendum, the Greek Cypriots threatened the UN Peace Force by saying that they will send the UN Peace Force soldiers away from the island and the Security Council took this decision without consulting us. They thought we cannot do anything and remain quiet." UN Secretary General/s Special Representative to Cyprus, Alvaro De Soto came to the island after the Security Council announced its decision, Denktash noted. "This is what I told him: We will take our measures. You will not like these measures but we will gradually make these measures more and more rigid. If you don/t make the Greek Cypriots understand that they are not our government and who they are, we will make UN Peace Force leave TRNC completely. You think about its consequences." "The Greek Cypriots need the UN Peace Force, we don/t. We have Turkish soldiers who are protecting peace on the border. Nobody has any worries", he added.

[06] Crisis among "coalition" partners

The paper reports that because of the crisis in the banking sector, the "coalition" partners are going through difficult days for the last six months.

The major problem between the partners is that the junior partner, the CLP, wants reshuffle in the so-called government and the NUP is cool to this demand.

Meanwhile the Central Executive Committee of the CLP met last night and discussed the latest domestic and foreign developments.

Following the meeting, CLP General Secretary Ozal Ziya made a statement to the press and said that "prior to raising the issue of CLP/s withdrawal from the government, the CLP feels the necessity to discuss the problems facing the government with its partner, the NUP."

KIBRIS notes that the so-called prime minister of the pseudostate Dervish Eroglu/s statement that "government reshuffle is not on the agenda" has created major dissatisfaction within the CLP.

[07] Another bank suspends operations

[08] Turkish Cypriot Farmers Union stage protest action against economic situation

Serdar Denktash, main opposition Democratic Party leader; Mehmet Ali Talat, Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader; CTP officials; some Communal Liberation Party "deputies"; as well as officials from the Nationalist Justice Party and the Patriotic Union Movement arrived at the scene of the action and expressed support for the demonstrators against the police attempt to stop them.

/SK

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

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