Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-09-27

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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] DENKTASH: DIFFERENCES WITH GREEK CYPRIOTS STILL WIDE.

[02] DENKTASH: 4TH ROUND SHOWED DEPTH OF 'CHASM' BETWEEN TURKS, GREEKS IN CYPRUS.

[03] BRITISH MP ON CYPRUS'S WATER PROBLEM.

[04] EROGLU DENIES THREATS TO BANKER.

[05] NEW CLAIMS ON TURKISH CYPRIOT-HELD TERRITORY.

[06] NEW POLL AMONG TURKISH CYPRIOT PUPLIC EMOLOYEES.

[07] PEACE PETITION HANDED TO UNFICYP.

[08] PETROL WORKERS STRIKE.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] DENKTASH: DIFFERENCES WITH GREEK CYPRIOTS STILL WIDE

Question: In your statements, you remarked that the Turkish Cypriot thesis is now being understood better. The reactions emanating from the Greek Cypriot side may serve as proof of this. Can you comment on your impressions about today's deliberations?

Denktash: "Naturally, during our 15 days of contacts, we did our utmost to ensure that the cause we are defending, our criteria, and our principles are better understood. Naturally, these are being well received, but this does not mean that everything is going our way, the way we want.

Today, we held our last meeting with the Secretary General. We conducted an assessment. The differences, the chasm, between the two sides are still wide. We still have not reached a situation where we can build a bridge, because the Greek Cypriot side is still marching forward on the basis of the claim that it is the legitimate government of Cyprus. The Greek Cypriot side is furious even at the slightest hint of equality. The reaction they displayed in the face of the Secretary General's statement on 12 September regarding equal status and equal political situation and the fact that they published in their press the contents of all the talks, compounded by some lies, constitute tactics aimed at deterring us and inciting their people. These tactics naturally do not contribute to the spirit of conciliation.

When we access all this, we see that the road ahead is long and we have not yet reached a stage where we can conduct face-to-face talks. You can rest assured, however, that the Turkish Cypriot side is insisting on the existence of our state and our sovereignty, and advocating that these must constitute the basis of a future agreement. We have nothing to fear. We believe that we are in a strong position. We are also exerting maximum efforts to reach a conciliation in a spirit of goodwill.

We will meet again in Geneva on 1 November. As for what will happen at that meeting, first we will evaluate all that has been discussed here for the past 15 days, then we will meet again in Geneva at the end of these assessments".

Question: Is it possible for the Greek Cypriot side to come to the next round of proximity talks with a different stand?

Denktash: "No. I do not believe this is possible, and I have been saying this openly to everyone. For the Greek Cypriots to adopt a different stand, a realistic stand, the other countries which reward them by telling them they are the legitimate government of the whole of Cyprus must have mercy, and tell the Greek Cypriots that they must understand that they are not the government of the Turkish Cypriots, in line with the realities, with the supremacy of the law, and with justice and fairness. This, I believe, will take a long time. It is essential that we stand firm".

[02] DENKTASH: 4TH ROUND SHOWED DEPTH OF 'CHASM' BETWEEN TURKS, GREEKS IN

Illegal Bayrak Radio on 27.9.2000 reported that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has reiterated that for the two "peoples" in Cyprus to live peacefully, the guarantees system must not be changed. In an assessment of the Cyprus talks at the end of the fourth round, Denktash said: The fourth round of talks did not shrink the chasm between the two sides; it only showed how deep it is.

Denktash held the last meeting of the fourth round with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. At a news conference at the Turkish House at the end of the talks, Denktash pointed out that the administrative model which the sides tried to formulate during the fourth round was more complicated than the one brought by the 1960 constitution. He said: This is not a viable system.

Denktash asserted that it has been seen that he and Clerides will not be able to persuade their peoples to accept the proposals made during the fourth round of talks. He added: In this case, the UN Security Council must be informed of this situation. The fifth round will clarify the situation a bit more; we will be able to see things a little more clearly.

Denktash said that he informed the United Nations that he will participate in the fifth round of talks, but that the Turkish Cypriots may reassess the situation in line with the stand of the Greek Cypriots.

Denktash stressed that the time has come for the Turkish Cypriots to know what the Greek Cypriot proposals are. He added: The United Nations must tell us what the Greek Cypriots are saying so that we can know whether or not we can reach an agreement, so that we do not waste time during the talks.

He noted that Secretary General Annan told him to be more flexible during the fifth round of talks. Denktash said: For us to be more flexible, our status must be determined first.

Denktash announced that he will be going to Ankara for an assessment of the situation before he leaves for the fifth round of talks scheduled from 1 to 10 November.

He pointed out that the Greek Cypriots want a multinational military and police force deployed on the island. He stressed: This is an unacceptable intervention on our rights. Do not touch the guarantees system if you want the two peoples to live peacefully in Cyprus.

Denktash then said. The "Greek Cypriot Administration's" membership in the EU would upset the balance between Turkey and Greece: The EU must take this into consideration and tell the Greek Cypriots that they may not join the EU before an agreement is reached in Cyprus.

Denktash accused President Clerides of staging a play by bringing the Greek Cypriot National Council to New York. Denktash added that the Greek Cypriots are trying to get more concessions in this way.

At his news conference, Denktash called on Clerides to accept his confederation proposal, adding: Clerides reportedly complained that the suggested administrative system is too complicated. We agree. We are proposing a simple solution that bridges the two confederal states. If Clerides accepts this system, things will become easy.

Referring to the Loizidou case, Denktash said: No Turkish Cypriot will accept the settlement of Greek Cypriot refugees in the north. The verdict in the Loizidou case is wrong and one-sided. The Loizidou case is not a case of human rights violation.

[03] BRITISH MP ON CYPRUS'S WATER PROBLEM

The British MP John Taylor, who had carried out investigations in the past in the occupied areas, said "The water problem of Cyprus can be solved with the project of transporting water with pipes from Turkey to Cyprus".

Taylor also said, "I believe that this creative project will be a success and will aid the development of mutual understanding in the island. It is said that water does not recognize borders. I think that when the water comes to the island the borders will not prevent the people to benefit from that".

In addition, Taylor said that this water project will cost 300 million US dollars and will be completed in 2005.

[04] EROGLU DENIES THREATS TO BANKER

Eroglu replied to Guzelyurtlu's statement "I escaped because I was threatened" by saying "Everybody laughs at this statement".

Eroglu stressed that all that really matters is that Elmas has fled and that the bank victims of Everest bank are still suffering.

[05] NEW CLAIMS ON TURKISH CYPRIOT-HELD TERRITORY

[01] The territory under our control is not 33% as you mentioned but 35.4% which translates into 3241 km2.

[02] 1% territory, in reality is equal to 92.5 km2.

[03] If one considers this fact then, if we agree to keep 28%, this means we have to cede 647.5 km2 of TRNC to the Greeks.

[04] This also means that a minimum of 35.000 people will be forced to leave their homes again.

[05] The closed part of Varosha area is 5.5 km2, Morphou and its close environs is 50 km2 so if we agree to keep 28%, this means that we agree to

[06] a. According to the explanation given by Ghali, we have drawn a map and according to the calculations the percentage of the land of the Turkish

[06] b. Based or the same survey Ghali's percentage of land of the Turkish region is 28.23%.

[07] According to Ghali's proposal in the six villages which will be in the south, 2799 Turks will continue to live in these villages and in the

[08] According to the same proposal the villages Yialousa, Rizokarpasso, MeIanarga and Ayia Trias will remain in the North and Greek Cypriots will

HALKIN SESI says that in the light of the information given by Halil Giray, Turkish Cypriots said of the proposal: "This is not a territorial concession but death, it can never be accepted".

[06] NEW POLL AMONG TURKISH CYPRIOT PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

It has shown that the majority does not trust the "state".

According to results of the poll, the people in the occupied areas expect solution of their problems not from the pseudostate but from the solution of the Cyprus problem and the Cyprus membership of the European Union.

The 524 out of 652 public workers believe that their economic problems can be solved with the entry to the EU.

Responses to a question about which of the solutions below will be a possible solution for the Cyprus problem were as follows:

Possible Responses Number ofresponses % - federation 202 31.7 - two different states living side by side 214 33.5 - a confederal solution that will consist of two states 174 27.3 - integration with Turkey 20 3.1 - return to Cyprus Republic 28 4.4 - total 638 100 - non-valid 18 -

[07] PEACE PETITION HANDED TO UNFICYP

In the petition, the 41 NGOs demanded that a solution to the heavy economic, political, democratic and social problems, that were created due to the non- solution status of the Cyprus problem, must be found.

The petition also said that the shared belief of the 41 NGOs is that: "A federal solution of the Cyprus problem must be found and this federal Cyprus must be come a member of EU".

[08] PETROL WORKERS STRIKE

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

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