Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-09-08

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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. 172/00 -- 8.9.00

[01] Ecevit issues statement of support to Denktash on eve of Cyprus talks in New York.

[02] Turkey/s President asks Clinton for strategic partnership action plans, more trade.

[03] Talat stresses self-government in federation with Turkey/s guarantees.

[04] Denktash: Proximity talks based on criteria agreed on by both sides.

[05] Denktash says Greek Cypriots do not want solution to the Cyprus problem.

[06] DP advocates smaller administration and Turkey/s cooperation.

[07] More results of Turkish Cypriot poll.

[08] 5,000 attend another demonstration.

[09] Turkish Cypriot sports official to Istanbul event.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Ecevit issues statement of support to Denktash on eve of Cyprus talks in New York

The aim of the proximity talks is to prepare the ground for negotiations so that the UN Secretary General can start comprehensive talks. This means that until the ground for negotiations is prepared, the sides will hold talks with mediators, and the phase of direct and comprehensive talks will start only after the ground for the negotiations is ready and the two sides are viewed as equal. That is how President Rauf Denktash and we view the matter.

Turkey wants the peace and stability that have been reigning in Cyprus ever since 1974 to become permanent, and is extending its support to the proximity talks for this reason. It is impossible to return to the conditions that prevailed before 1974. It is out of the question for us, as a guarantor country, to accept such a situation in terms of the Turkish Cypriot people/s physical, economic, political, and social security.

The ``TRNC'' is a sovereign state that has continued to exist despite all the obstacles for the past 17 years. It has established all its institutions. A solution that is not based on the ``TRNC/s'' sovereign identity and equality cannot be permanent.

Mr. Denktash has proposed a realistic arrangement which foresees the cooperation between the two states on the island within a confederal structure. We share and support his proposal. We wish Mr. Denktkash success.''

[02] Turkey/s President asks Clinton for strategic partnership action plans, more trade

President Sezer/s Secretary and Foreign Ministry Chief Adviser Tacan Ildem held a press conference following the meeting between Sezer and Clinton.

Ildem said that the meeting in which Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had also participated, lasted for almost 40 minutes.

President Sezer, in the meeting, stressed the importance of relations between Turkey and the US, and emphasized that some factors that could overshadow the relations should be removed. Noting that draft laws on the ``genocide on Armenians'' were occasionally brought to the House of Representatives and Senate, Sezer said that such efforts could increase due to the presidential election and House of Representatives election in the US, and he hoped that the US administration would prevent undesired efforts that could overshadow the relations.

Ildem said that Turkey and the US administration did not have any difference of opinion about the issue.

Ildem said US President Clinton had stated that they appreciated steps taken by Turkey in the EU full-membership process following the Helsinki Summit, and that he was not in doubt about the fact that President Sezer would make a personal contribution to the process, and he stressed the importance of the ``distinguished statesmanship'' of President Sezer.

Clinton said that he has attributed importance to strengthening of Turkey- US relations during his eight-year term in office, and they had found the opportunity to change the characteristics of bilateral relations into a ``strategic partnership''.

Noting that he had become aware of the importance of the geography in which also Turkey was included shortly after he was elected as President and that he acted in accordance with this awareness, Clinton said that as an important member of the West, Turkey should take its part in all organizations of the West, and the US would follow this.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that important progress was recorded during President Clinton/s term in office, and President Clinton played an important role in the change of relations into strategic partnership. Sezer stressed the importance of new action plans and joint initiatives within the framework of this strategic partnership.

Referring to the issue of energy resources, President Clinton said that there was a strong cooperation between Turkey and the US. He underlined the importance of this cooperation for regional peace, stability and prosperity. The importance of the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Trans- Caspian natural gas pipeline was stressed by both sides.

``At the meeting, US President Bill Clinton expressed his satisfaction with the rapprochement between the people of Turkey and Greece in the wake of the quake disasters and with the detente of tension in the past as a result of nine agreements signed between Turkish and Greek governments'', Ildem told reporters.

Ildem said that the issue of Cyprus was taken up briefly.

He said, ``President Clinton said that the US supported efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus question. President Clinton said that although the solution depends on the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, Turkey/s and Greece/s encouraging and productive roles would make a valuable contribution to the process. President Clinton asked for Turkey/s support in encouraging the sides for a strong and convenient ground and for recording progress during the fourth round of proximity talks which will start on September 12.

President Sezer told President Clinton that Turkey/s support will continue.'' Ildem noted. Responding to another question, Ildem said that the issue of defence tenders was not brought onto the agenda of the meeting. Sezer meets Kofi Annan

Ildem said UN Secretary General Kofi Annan met with a limited number of head of states, and that Sezer was one of them.

Ildem noted that Sezer called for the interest of Secretary General regarding Turkey/s candidacy to some international bodies.

Speaking about the Cyprus issue, Annan expressed his wish that the sides would reach a point that will prepare a basis for meaningful negotiations during the proximity talks scheduled to start on September 12, and wanted Turkey to continue its supporting attitude.

Sezer in his part conveyed the views of Turkey in connection with the solution of the problem, and stressed the importance of the so-called ``TRNC'' for Turkey, and the support expended to the solution.

[03] Talat stresses self-government in federation with Turkey/s guarantees

Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat said that the path to solving the Cyprus problem is through a federation that will maintain Turkey/s guarantees and will enable the Turkish Cypriots to govern themselves.

Talat held a news conference on 7.9.00 in order to assess the Cyprus issue prior to the fourth round proximity talks to be held in New York. Stressing that the solution of the Cyprus problem has been linked to a timetable, Talat said that one should view the problem within the framework of the EU expansion dynamics and of Turkey/s accession to the Union.

Recalling that Turkey is part of the EU expansion process, Talat stressed that putting forth the solution of the Turkish-Greek problems and the Cyprus issue as a precondition in Turkey/s accession process shows how vital the resolution of this issue is. Pointing out that Cyprus will become a EU member in 2004 or 2005 barring an extraordinary situation in the EU expansion process, Talat said that the way to disrupt this course is to either resolve the Cyprus problem or to advance toward it, thus enabling a reassessment of the situation and the Turkish Cypriot side/s participation in the membership negotiations being conducted with the Greek Cypriot side.

Talat stressed that the transformation of the principle of two states, which was put forth as a reaction to the EU/s Luxembourg decisions, to a confederation following the world reaction shown to the proposal of two states was nothing more than the continuation of a mistake. He noted that the path to resolving the Cyprus problem is a federal solution that will maintain Turkey/s guarantees and that will enable the Turkish Cypriots to govern themselves. Reiterating that the solution of the Cyprus problem has been linked to a timetable, Talat said that the Turkish Cypriot people need an immediate solution.

Recalling that the fourth round proximity talks to be held in New York and the preparation of the Turkish-EU partnership document have coincided, Talat continued: Turkey does not want the Cyprus and Aegean issues to be included in this document. The Aegean and Cyprus issues, however, do exist in Turkey/s EU accession process irrespective of whether they are included in this document. This is the way the issue should be assessed.

[04] Denktash: Proximity talks based on criteria agreed on by both sides

Replying to reporters/ questions at a meeting he held with poets from Turkic countries, Denktash said that what Glafcos Clerides means by substantive talks is direct talks. He noted that Clerides wants the talks to begin within the framework of the UN Security Council/s previous resolutions, in other words, within the framework of the resolutions that view the Greek Cypriot ``administration'' as the legitimate Cyprus government. Denktash said that he does not believe that the UN Secretary General/s view are similar to those of Clerides, adding that the proximity talks, which the Secretary General initiated in a bid to prepare the ground for the substantive talks, are based on certain criteria agreed upon by the two sides.

[05] Denktash says Greek Cypriots do not want solution to the Cyprus problem

In the letter to the paper Rauf Denktash points out that: ``The Greek Cypriots plan to achieve the following in the indirect talks:

- To create a confrontation between Turkey and the EU by joining the organization before the Cyprus problem is solved.

- To join the EU Security and Defence Identity in order to pave the way for the deployment of EU military units in Cyprus.

The Greek Cypriots have already made contacts to that effect. The EU officials have informed us that they will supply life-saving material and equipment, such as medical drugs, and obstruct the importation of arms. We have seen how similar initiatives began and ended in the past. We have bitter experiences. The process begins with the supply of life-saving material and equipment. That is followed by armoured vehicles and tanks. They are trying to open the door for that.

The TRNC border is under Turkey/s guarantee. The situation in Cyprus will be similar to that in Lebanon in 1976 if the Turkish Armed Forces on the island are replaced by an international force or EU military units.

The outcome of Cyprus joining the EU before the Cyprus problem is solved and before Turkey/s accession will be very serious. The Greek Cypriots are now more determined to obstruct the solution of the problem. Their accession to the EU will create a confrontation between the organization and Turkey. Meanwhile, the pressure on the ``TRNC'' will be intensified. Drawing strength from the EU, the Greek Cypriots plan to use the indirect talks in New York to have an international force deployed on the island. They usurped the title of Cyprus Republic 37 years ago. They want to use it to convert the Turkish Cypriot people into a minority community. As long as the international community continues to recognize the Greek Cypriot side as the Cyprus Republic, the Greek Cypriots will never say yes to a just and balanced solution.

However, neither the ``TRNC'' nor the Turkish Cypriot people intend to surrender their security to the Greek Cypriots or to an international force, Denktah added

[06] DP advocates smaller administration and Turkey/s cooperation

In a written statement he issued, DP leader Serdar Denktash said that the so-called ``government'', instead of trying to find solutions to the existing problems, is busy creating the image of a ``government'' that is in constant conflict with all the sectors of the country and with Turkish officials. He noted that Mustafa Akinci, ``state minister and deputy prime minister'', is, on one hand advocating self-government, and on the other, not making any alternative preparations and expecting the motherland to solve all the problems.

Denktash stated that the DP, which has a social and economic vision open to the outside, favours the establishment of a small but effective ``state'' administration and the preparation of the simplest possible regulations. He expressed the belief that solution should be sought to the problems in cooperation with Turkey.

[07] More results of Turkish Cypriot poll

Responses to a question about when they must enter the EU were as follows:

Dec. 1999 August 2000 28.8% 42.7% after the solution of the Cyprus problem.

15.9% 30% after the solution of the Cyprus problem

and after Turkey also enters.

9.8% 21.3% we must enter immediately (even if the Cyprus

problem is unresolved). 6.4% 2.8% Not enter at all 0.0% 2.0% No answer 3.1% 1.3% others

The highest percentage of people, who say that they must wait first for Turkey/s accession the EU are in the occupied area or Trikomo. On the other hand, the lowest percentage who support this view live in the occupied district of Kyrenia.

Here are the responses according to political party affiliation to the question when do you think we must joint the EU?''

RESPONSES POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION

UBPNUP DP TKPCLP CTPRTP YBHPUM UDPNRP MAPNJP BPOURPARTY

% % % % % % % % Never to join 2 1.7 8.2 4.5 2.6 - - - After the solution of theCyprus problem 35 40 40.8 58 36.8 - 30 20 After the solution of the Cyprus problem and afterTurkey is accepted 49 45 18.4 9.1 2.6 100 60 40 Immediately to enter (evenif the Cyprus problem is not solved) 12 10 30.6 27.3 55.3 --- 10 40 Others --- 3.3 -- -- 2.6 -- -- -- No answer 2 -- 2 1.1 -- -- -- --

Moreover, the percentage of people, who support the accession to EU after the solution of the Cyprus problem or immediate accession is highest among universities graduates.

[08] 5,000 attend another demonstration

KIBRIS Anger ORTAM Justice? (The justice which has been delayed) AVRUPA Gently! VATAN The bankers must be put on trial YENI DEMOKRAT They were well confused.

YENIDUZEN Black wreath to Denktash HALKIN SESI Empty talk!

According to KIBRIS, 5,000 angry bank depositors took part in yesterday/s demonstration, where they asked for the resignation of the pseudo- government and the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

At the end of the rally, the thousands of demonstrators placed a black wreath in front of the Denktash/s so-called ``presidential'' residence.

[09] Turkish Cypriot sports official to Istanbul event

During his stay, he will meet with sport-writers and will be guest of Fatih Altayli on NTV/s sport programme. They will discuss sports in the occupied areas.

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

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