Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-08-02

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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. 146/00 -- 2.8.00

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash on Geneva proximity talks, political developments in pseudostate.

[02] Foreign trade deficit figures.

[03] Pseudo-government expected to resign on 2 August.

[04] Turkey disapproves of COE decision on Loizidou case.

[05] Turkey-"TRNC" economic relations.

[06] "Government" absent from celebrations organized by "Security Forces Command".

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[07] AVRUPA criticizesTurkish approach toward pseudostate.

[09] Columnist on Turkey "falling into trap of EU".

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash on Geneva proximity talks, political developments in pseudostate

Asked whether, in his view, the word confederation has been incorporated into the Cyprus process, Denktash said: "Yes, it has. Our people want a solid and unbreakable agreement based on the principle of states, one that will not be destroyed by the Greek Cypriots on the grounds that this is their internal affair. Given all their suffering, this is the most solid formula we can present to our people. Turkey also supports this formula. Therefore, this is naturally being discussed. Moreover, it is necessary".

In reply to another question, Denktash claimed the Greek Cypriots are taking advantage of the economic difficulties of the Turkish Cypriots to continue their "attacks". He blamed the "government" to be the cause of the economic difficulties and accused it of citing a political reason indicating that there are grievances about Turkey. "It acted as though someone told them that the island does not belong to them. However, they must realize that the island cannot belong to them without the help of Turkey", Denktash said.

Asked what is his opinion about a trilateral summit together with Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and "prime minister" Dervis Eroglu, he replied:

"After we go back to Cyprus, and after we observe and assess the situation...(pauses). Rather than create such an atmosphere against Turkey, we should have embraced Turkey with all our hearts in order to solve our economic and other problems. We should have encouraged Turkey further, rather than offend it or create mistrust between us. I ask those who blame Turkey: Let them look at the newspapers. Whom are our newspapers blaming? Our newspapers are pointing a finger at the government/s shortcomings. This is natural in a democratic regime. However, it was very offensive to Turkey saying that Turkey was to blame".

Denktash also claimed that if the system in the occupied area is to remain a two-headed one, some changes must be introduced.

[02] Foreign trade deficit figures

The "TRNC/s" foreign trade deficit was set at $300 million in 1997. The $377-million foreign trade deficit in 1998 was the highest in the past 10 years.

It has been ascertained that the drop in the foreign trade deficit in 1999 has resulted from the drop in the amount of imports rather than from the growth in the amount of exports. While the amount of imports in 1999 has dropped by $18 million compared to 1998, the total amount of exports has grown by one million in the same year.

According to the so-called ministry of economy and finance imports and exports Statistics figures, the foreign trade deficits have grown from about $160 million in 1988 to about $340 million in 1990. The foreign trade deficits have thereafter stayed at about the $300-million level after undergoing fluctuations for a while. Meanwhile, the foreign trade deficits have grown by $77 million in 1998 compared to 1997.

The pseudostate spent about $412 million on imports last year. The largest amount of these imports, 62 percent, has been made from Turkey, followed in terms of size by EU countries, 24 percent; OECD countries other than EU members, seven percent; Far Eastern countries, four percent; and other countries, three percent.

The pseudostate has imported goods worth about $256 million from Turkey last year. Thus, Turkey tops the list of countries from which the highest amount of imports has been made. Turkey is followed in this respect by Britain, $47 million; Japan and Germany, $19 million each; Italy, $11 million; the United States, six million dollars; Holland, five million dollars; and Belgium, France and Hong Kong, four million dollars each.

The import of cars, fuel, and appliances occupy a major part of the pseudostate/s imports. It also imports a range of other goods such as chewing gum, portraits, sculpture, guns, hunting rifles, pillows, calendars, threads, and postcards.

Of the total amount of goods worth $52.27 million exported by the pseudostate in 1999, 53 percent has been exported to Turkey, 39 percent to EU countries, three percent to other European countries, and five percent to other countries.

Orange products, wheat products, milk products, and agricultural products such as potatoes constitute a major part of the exports made to Turkey. Other exports to Turkey include tea, drinks, mineral water, tobacco, cigarettes, anhydrite, and aspirin. A major part of the goods exported to Germany and Britain consist of ready-made garments. The "TRNC" also exports tea to Azerbaijan. Orange products constitute a major part of the exports made to other countries.

[03] Pseudo-government expected to resign on 2 August

Eroglu by-passed the Turkish Embassy and conveyed a lengthy letter to Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit after the campaign against him was stepped up. He explained the economic measures the "government" considered and asked for an appointment. However, Ecevit did not respond until last weekend. Considering that, Eroglu asked Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz to support his initiative. The National Unity Party, which is headed by Eroglu, and the ANAP established fraternal relations a long time ago. Eroglu called Yilmaz to inform him on the reasons for the economic crisis and Denktash/s manoeuvres to have the presidential system adopted. He asked him to support the initiative he made for an appointment with Ecevit. Yilmaz conveyed his request but was unable to persuade Ecevit to agree to meet him.

Considering Ankara/s negative approach, the "coalition" partners decided that they reached the end of the road. Agreeing that nothing could be done to solve the problem, the Communal Liberation Party (TKP) is now convinced that the resignation of the "coalition government" after it pays the salaries and wages of the "civil servants" and the works on 1 August would be unavoidable.

[04] Turkey disapproves of COE decision on Loizidou case

Huseyin Dirioz, the Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman, stressed that Turkey so far implemented all the decisions of European Court of Human Rights that were given against it, although it did not share them always.

"However, it is clear that the Loizidou case, which is of exceptional quality, requires an exceptional procedure. Nevertheless, the Committee of Ministers, which is a political organization, failed to mention the exceptional quality of the Loizidou case and hid the political side of the problem from the public opinion", Dirioz claimed.

Pointing out that the Committee of Ministers, with this decision, took a step that will make the efforts in the Loizidou case more difficult, Dirioz said, "this decision failed to meet our expectations concerning not effecting the ongoing proximity talks held in Geneva, and not adopting an attitude in favour of one of the sides".

Dirioz said the Committee of Ministers should understand that property problems in Cyprus were reciprocal and that solution of these demands with a global method would form an important stage in the solution of the Cyprus problem.

"Thus, it is clear that this interim decision that was based on a wrong political basis, ignoring the TRNC, physical and legal facts, would not help the solution of the Loizidou case and similar property claims and demands. So, the proposal of the TRNC for a joint commission aiming at a global solution through exchange of property and compensations, should be regarded as an opportunity that has been missed", Dirioz alleged.

[05] Turkey-"TRNC" economic relations

Republican Turkish Party "deputy" Ferdi Sabit Soyer has carried out a detailed study of the economic relations between Turkey and the occupied area in the last ten years.

Soyer says that in the last ten years the Turkish governments sent 590 million dollars of help to the occupied area and in return the Ankara government imposed the condition that major imports of the "TRNC" will be realized from Turkey.

For years, reports CUMHURIYET, Turkish governments imposed conditions on the purchase of vehicles and other goods that were to be used in the "public sector". Furthermore, services in the occupied area should come from Turkey.

Within this framework the aid money sent to the occupied area from Turkey went back to Turkey, only in larger amounts.

According to Soyer/s data, in 1990 Turkey made a total of 22.5 million dollars contribution to the "TRNC" but in the same year Turkey sold it goods amounting to 153.5 million dollars.

Ferdi Soyer noted that in the last ten years Turkey/s aid to the occupied area amounted to 590 million US dollars, and during this period the occupied area imported goods from Turkey amounting to 820 million US dollars.

In the last ten years the occupied area/s exports amounted to 581.5 million US dollars, of which only 209.5 million US dollars worth of goods were exported to Turkey.

[06] "Government" absent from celebrations organized by "Security Forces Command"

The article stressed neither the so-called prime minister Dervis Eroglu nor "state minister and deputy prime minister" Mustafa Akinci took part in the celebrations.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[07] AVRUPA criticizes Turkish approach toward pseudostate

[13] The Turkish Cypriot government will fall.

[15] The talks (between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots) will be destroyed.

[17] The presidential system will be introduced in north Cyprus.

[19] The (Turkish Cypriot) opposition will be crushed.

[21] The economic package prepared by Ankara will be implemented.

Ankara/s hawks are not tolerating any more the endeavour of the Turkish Cypriots to say that `this is our country/ or that `Cyprus belongs to the Cypriots/. Even Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has belittled the opposition voices in north Cyprus by using the expression `a small number of individuals/ in reference to the Turkish Cypriots. Moreover, in remarks similar to the ones made by Rauf Denktash, Ecevit has said: `These people have come under foreign influence/.

Turkish State Minister Mehmet Cay has even gone beyond this when he referred to the Turkish Cypriots as `a nothingness/. `Turkey is required to intervene regarding the Cyprus issue even if there were no Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus/, Cay has said.

Erdal Guven: What a pity that nothing has changed in Ankara in the wake of the chain developments, which began with the disputes between the civilian and military authorities in the TRNC, then escalated following the spying allegations, and gained further momentum following the protest march of 10, 000 people and the defiance of 3,000 bank victims. Denktash still remains the most important man for Ankara!.

Gungor Mengi: A political solution in Cyprus is more advantageous for Turkey than for the Greek Cypriots.

Hikmet Cetinkaya: A handful of people is living extravagantly in the 200, 000-strong TRNC. There are no middle class people in the country and the gap with respect to income distribution between the poor and the rich is growing wider.

Serdar Turgut: We must no forget that if the Turkish and Greek Cypriots reach a surprise understanding with each other on the island, TRNC citizens will be able to freely roam throughout the world as European citizens. We will then need visas to enter the TRNC territories."

[61] Columnist on Turkey "falling into trap of EU"

Manisali says that inclusion of Cyprus and the Aegean issues in Turkey/s Accession Partnership Text is proof of this trap.

He alleges that once the Greek demands are met on Cyprus and the Aegean issues. Turkey will not be allowed to become an EU member for another 40 years.

Manisali says that this mistake started back in 1995 with Ciller and continued with Ecevit.

Manisali concludes by urging the Turkish government to come to its senses and act accordingly.

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

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