Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-08-16

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash calls for 'de Facto' integration with Turkey, two-state confederation According to illegal Bayrak Radio (12.30 hours, 15.8.00) addressing a ceremony in occupied village Vouno, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash called on the people not to forget that the Greek Cypriots will do anything to get all of Cyprus. He stressed that the only way to get the ``Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus'' out of the present situation is a de facto integration with Turkey. Remembering the Taskent ``massacre'', Denktash addressed himself to President Clerides thus: Clerides, you did all this and you have the names of those who did it, but you did not bring even one of them to court. Shamelessly you complain that Turkey violates human rights. For a person to take somebody else to court, that person must be innocent, he must have a clear conscience. The blood of my innocent people is on your hands. You do not say that you will never do it again. On the contrary, you arm yourselves. You say that you own the whole of Cyprus, that you are the legitimate government of the whole of Cyprus. Based on this lie, you want to reach an agreement with me. Denktash pointed out that he and Turkey are constantly criticised because he does not agree to the Greek Cypriot scenarios based on lies. He added that the Greek Cypriots continue to make efforts to own the whole of Cyprus by using international organisations. He said to the Greek Cypriots: Because the Greek lobby makes its voice heard there, you think that the United States is behind you. Denktash asserted that despite all their efforts, the Greek Cypriots will not erase the massacre of innocent people from the memory of the Turkish Cypriots. He charged that if the Turkish Cypriots forget the past and give the Greek Cypriots another chance they will be massacred again. He called on the Turkish Cypriots to know their enemy and to be prepared against their enemy morally and materially. He said: ``This country is ours. We are free and we have a democracy. We elect our own governments. We ourselves, suffer from the mistakes of our governments, but we have the option to replace them.'' Denktash recalled that for the Turkish Cypriots to be able to live like that, the Turkish army and the Turkish Cypriot security forces are stationed along the border. He noted that certain circles have lately been criticising the Turkish army and the Turkish Cypriot security forces. He added that the press reports to this effect sadden everyone as well as the motherland. Denktash reiterated his thanks to motherland Turkey and the Turkish soldiers. He said: ``Accept our gratitude my motherland. Certain circles oppose us because they say integration with you means annexation, but the same circles dig the earth under our feet in order to carry out the same integration with the Greek Cypriots.'' He explained that by integration he means the opening of the doors for economic cooperation with Turkey, and the opening of all the doors with Turkey. He called on the governments to take the necessary steps without wasting any time. He added: ``Integration does not mean annexation. It means cooperation, but not with words, with deeds. The laws that were kept waiting for years are being enacted only now. Implement the laws you have enacted. Do not deceive the people with false promises.'' Denktash called on his so-called government: Stop resisting cooperating with the president under the pretext that he is the enemy of this or that party. Cooperate with the presidency and I will help you. However, you must stop undermining my position. The Greek Cypriots and the world are undermining me, anyway. Certain harmful circles are undermining me, anyway. I ask you not to undermine me. We have things to do. We want to do them. I am sure you also want to do them too, but you cannot do them by undermining me. Denktash repeated his call to the Greek Cypriot leadership to give up their dream of turning Cyprus into a Greek island. He said: ``I call on you Clerides. You have embraced the murderers of Taskent. Enjoy them. However, we will not trust you an inch so long as you embrace and honor the murderers of Taskent, Murataga (Maratha) Atlilar (Aloa) and Sandallar (Sandalaris) 'massacres', so long as you say that Turkey's guarantees should be lifted, so long as you say that you are the government of the whole of Cyprus, that you have the right to go to the north and that your refugees will go to the north. You cannot do anything in Cyprus so long as my people mistrust you.'' On the population exchange, Denktash said that peace is based on the population exchange and that the two peoples will live in their respective republics. He reiterated that after an agreement is reached between the two republics, they can, if possible, be represented in the world as a confederal Cyprus.

[02] Denktash calls on Greek Cypriots to recognize 'TRNC' KIBRIS (15.8.00) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has noted that the Turkish Cypriots are trying to reach an agreement with the Greek Cypriots who massacred them in the past, adding that they want the Greek Cypriots to accept that the Turkish Cypriots, who were expelled from the partnership republic, have established their own state. Speaking at the commemoration ceremony held at the Muratage (Maratha), Sandallar (Sandalaris) and Atlilar (Aloa) martyrs' cemetery on the 26th anniversary of the second phase of the Cyprus ``peace'' operation, Denktash stressed that no agreement can be reached without accepting the existence and sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriots. Explaining that before the Turkish soldiers came to the island the Turkish Cypriots could not say 'this homeland is ours', could not establish their state and could not have claims on the territories they lived in, Denktash said: ``Without our motherland, our people can only see bloodshed, suffering and oppression. Without the motherland we can not say that 'this is our homeland'.'' Noting that they are present to commemorate a brutality written in blood in the annals of history and to condemn the perpetrators, Denktash asked that the past not be forgotten and that lessons be learned from it. Denktash stated that with the second ``peace operation'', Turkey rescued 17 Turkish Cypriot villages from massacre and annihilation. Referring to the statement President Clerides made to the effect that he expects a realistic approach from Denktash at the talks to be held in New York, Denktash said that as far as the Greek Cypriots are concerned a realistic approach is one that that rejects sovereignty and Turkey's guarantees, adding that, however, the Turkish Cypriots will renounce neither their sovereignty nor Turkey's guarantor rights. Denktash pointed out that the Greek Cypriots can tell the world ``the entire island is ours. The Turkish Cypriots are a minority. The Turkish troops are occupationist forces and should withdraw from the island.'' He continued: ``Some crazy voices from among us are capable of listening to these claims. We should be aware of that.'' Referring to the economic problems, Denktash said that those responsible for the current situation should be sought from within the community and added: ``Let us decide on the course we shall take with our fighters' spirit. Let us be aware that we can advance nowhere without leaning on our motherland.''

[03] Turkish Cypriot Representative sends letter to UN responding to Greek claims According to illegal Bayrak Radio (18.00 hours, 15.8.00) Altug Pulumer, New York representative of the Turkish Cypriot regime has stressed that the only invasion and occupation in Cyprus is that of the Greek Cypriot administration which continues to occupy the Cyprus Republic for 37 years. Pulumer responded to the Cyprus Republic UN representative, who wrote to the UN about Turkey's 1974 military invasion and occupation. In a three-page letter to the permanent representatives in New York, Pulumer claimed that only after attaining the EU perspective, the Greek Cypriot side, which previously rejected all UN initiatives envisaging a federal agreement, began appearing as though it accepts the federation formula. Pulumer remarked that the Greek Cypriot interpretation of the federation formula was clarified in a statement made by President Clerides during the proximity talks in Geneva on 2 February. Pulumer stressed that the real Greek Cypriot intention is to amend the Constitution of their own administration, which they claim is the Cyprus Republic, rather than acquiesce to the Turkish Cypriots' equal political status and sovereignty rights. Pulumer said that despite Clerides statement revealing the Greek Cypriots' real intentions, the Turkish Cypriot side continued to negotiate in goodwill and submitted the confederation proposal, which will pave the way for progress toward a comprehensive agreement. Pulumer also recalled that the Greek Cypriot side rejected the Turkish Cypriot proposals, which were described as comprehensive by UN officials and other interested parties. He underlined that the Turkish Cypriot confederation proposal envisages the establishment of bridges between two equal states in Cyprus and it would form the foundation of a new partnership and start the process of reuniting the old partners under a confederal roof. According to Bayrak the representative said that the Greek Cypriot side had the impudence of calling on the Turkish Cypriot side, which, he said, has always continued to show goodwill during negotiations, to display a positive spirit in the negotiations despite its own negative stand. Pulumer also stressed that the Greek Cypriot side has been imposing inhuman embargoes on the Turkish Cypriots for 37 years. Underlining that the embargoes on the Turkish Cypriots must be lifted, Pulumer stated that these ``inhuman embargoes'' constitute a great obstacle to a negotiated agreement. He added: I would like to stress that these embargoes prevent the building of trust between the two peoples on the island. In his letter, Pulumer asked the UN member countries to raise the issue of lifting all the embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriots in the next session of the UN General Assembly. Finally, Pulumer said that the ``TRNC'' expects the international community to treat the two sides as the equal owners of the island and adopt a constructive attitude. He concluded: Only in this way can the international community pave the way for a conciliation on the island.

[04] Turkish Minister arrives to inaugurate postal service automation center Turkish transportation Minister Enis Oksuz arrived in occupied Nicosia to join the inauguration of Postal Service Automation Center and to hold several contacts. Rauf Denktash said every delegation, which comes from Turkey, brought new services to ``TRNC'', adding that this further strengthened the relations and boosted the morale of Turkish Cypriots. Transportation Minister Oksuz said Turkish Cypriots will further develop in the competition for civilization under the leadership of Denktash. Oksuz said similar centers will be opened in Kyrenia and other centers in time.

[05] Turkish Cypriots discuss, approve 'Central Bank' law According to KIBRIS (15.8.00) the Republican Assembly has approved with a majority of votes the bill amending the law on the ``TRNC'' Central Bank. Commenting on his views regarding the bill, Democratic Party leader Serdar Denktash said that the bill does not accord full autonomy to the Central Bank, but his party voted in favour of the bill because it incorporated certain positive articles. Referring to the ``prime minister's'' request to hold a meeting with the Turkish government, Serdar Denktash noted: ``If your interlocutor does nothing and only asks for money, you would not accept this demand. Also charging that the 'government' has no ambition other than to remain in power, Serdar Denktash criticised the fact that despite all this, those in 'government' are insisting on their own proposals.'' Stressing that the ``government'' should resign, Serdar Denktash called on the government to discuss the problems on the TV screens in a live program. Addressing the Assembly during the same session, Ferdi Sabit Soyer, Republican Turkish Party secretary general, said that the DP is in favour of continuing the old policies. Explaining that the Central Bank is unable to benefit from the credit extended by Turkey to the ``TRNC'', Soyer said that this issue must be discussed with a view to conducting bilateral relations in a healthy manner. Replying to criticism on behalf of the so-called government ``Economy and Finance Minister'' Mehmet Bayram said that ``domestic financing in the TRNC is inadequate and the basic reason for this is the high inflation rate imported with the Turkish lira. The proceedings against the bank owners in connection with the banking crisis are continuing within the law, Bayram remarked, adding that the trials will begin in September and those convicted will be punished.'' Bayram also denied that the bill on the Central Bank is aimed at eliminating the workers' right to strike. He said: ``The aim is to secure an understanding of what the minimum services are and ensure that the link with the world is not lost when there is a strike.'' Bayram stated that the subsidies will continue as necessary.'' Stressing that a liberal economy is not a system in which everyone can do anything he wants, Bayram said that the state's regulating cannot be ignored.

[06] Talat, Serdar, Rauf Denktash receive 'bank victims' Illegal Bayrak Radio and Anatolia News Agency continue to report on the banking crisis in the ``TRNC''. Bayrak Radio reported at 15.30 GMT on 14 August that a delegation of Turkish Cypriot bank victims visited Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat and Democratic Party (DP) leader Serdar Denktash ``to hear their views and suggestions'' on the issue. Talat said that the bank victims must be organised while waging their struggle. Blaming the ``government'' and Mr Denktash for the government crisis, the CTP leader pointed out that the ``president'' seems ``very unwilling to fulfil his duty of chairing the Council of Ministers in order to take certain necessary decisions. He also charged that by unilaterally changing the protocol signed with the bank depositors, the ``government'' showed ``great disrespect'' to the bank depositors thus instigating their demonstration. He said: ``It was the 'government' itself that provoked the demonstration.'' At this meeting with the bank victims DP leader Serdar Denktash stressed that the incidents they caused inside the Assembly were unacceptable. He said that he does not see that the ``government'' is doing anything to solve their problems. He charged that the bank victims' problems can be solved, but not by the current ``government''. He explained that ``the seven problematic banks can be floated; there are methods to do that.''

[07] Illegal workers According to KIBRIS (14.8.00) during the first six months of this year there were 218 illegal workers in the occupied area. The so-called director of the Labour Office Iakma Ergun said that of the 218 illegal workers, 200 came from Turkey and 18 from other countries. She further said that those who employed illegal workers were fined and a total of 3.736 billion TL was collected as fines.

[08] Rizokarpasso stolen icons found KIBRIS (15.8.00) reports that six icons which were stolen from the Michael Archangelos Church in the occupied Rizokarpasso village a week ago, have been recovered and five persons were arrested. After searching the premises Denktash's police also recovered other stolen items which were stolen earlier.

[09] Hashish in Kyrenia port According to KIBRIS (15.8.00) a kilo of hashish was confiscated at the occupied Kyrenia port by Denktash's police. KIBRIS says that two people were arrested and an eight days remand order has been issued for two of them. The paper does not give their names but only their initials S.C. and M.Y.

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

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