Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-10-04

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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] ERTUGRULOGLU MEETS TOM WESTON IN WASHINGTON

[02] TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTER COMMENTS ON TURKISH-GREEK RAPPROCHEMENT

[03] CTP STAGES MARCH PROTESTING ECONOMIC PACKAGE, TALAT CRITICIZES DENKTASH

[04] DENKTASH BLAMES TURKISH CYPRIOT "OFFICIALS" FOR ECONOMIC PACKAGE

[05] TURKISH BANKING COUNCIL CLOSES TURKISH CYPRIOT "BANK" BRANCH

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] ERTUGRULOGLU MEETS TOM WESTON IN WASHINGTON

After meeting with Tom Weston, the U.S. State Department/s Special Coordinator to Cyprus in Washington D.C., Ertugruloglu responded to questions of a group of journalists.

Ertugruloglu pointed out that personally he was suspicious of the sincerity of Greece, adding, "We hope Turkey and Greece solve the problems between them; however, this rapprochement wasn/t reflected on Cyprus."

Ertugruloglu pointed out that George Papandreou, the Greek Foreign Minister still introduces Turkey as the invader of Cyprus.

Ertugruloglu claimed that Greek Cypriots pursue a policy which is based on putting embargos on "TRNC" in order to make it give political concessions.

"Greek Cypriots speeded up their armament efforts", he said, adding that Alvaro De Soto, the U.N. special envoy for Cyprus and representatives of other concerned countries will visit the island before the fifth round of proximity talks on Cyprus which will be held between 1-10 November.

"The visit of De Soto to the island is beneficial. It is not correct to talk on the paper without seeing the realities of the island," he said, stressing that "TRNC won/t start face to face talks before the recognition of the fact that there are two sovereign states on the island."

Evaluating some claims in the Greek Cypriot press, Ertugruloglu pointed out that the Turkish soldiers won/t withdraw from the island.

[02] TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTER COMMENTS ON TURKISH-GREEK RAPPROCHEMENT

Cakmakoglu arrived in Athens to attend the inauguration ceremony of "Defendory 2000" defense fair as the official guest of the Greek Defense Minister Akis Tzohatsopoulos.

Speaking to reporters following his meeting with Tzohatsopoulos, Cakmakoglu expressed his condolences and the sorrow of the Turkish people over the death of many Greek people in the sea disaster which happened in the Aegean last week.

Cakmakoglu pointed out that Turkey and Greece shared joint borders and the life in the Aegean Sea, adding friendship between the two countries should be strengthened.

Cakmakoglu said, "rapprochment started following the quake disasters which occurred in both countries. A basis has been prepared for the solution of problems. The wish of our people is the continuation of the rapprochement, and the duty of the administrators is to exert efforts within the framework of this desire."

Cakmakoglu said he and Tzohatsopoulos exchanged views on issues which interested their duties and responsibilities, and noted that he conveyed the views of Turkey, which is in accession process to the European Union (EU).

Meanwhile, Tzohatsopoulos pointed out that Turkey and Greece should restrict armament in some fields, and noted that he and Cakmakoglu exchanged views in this respect.

Tzohatsopoulos said they observed during the meeting that some part of armament should be limited. He said armament was an expensive activity, adding that some of the sources, which are allocated to armament, should be transferred to the needs of the country, education, and culture.

Pointing out that they supported Turkey/s entrance to the EU, Tzohatsopoulos said Turkey/s membership to the Union will provide stability.

Tzohatsopoulos said the stability that will be gained, will positively affect the security of Greece and the region.

Mentioning confidence building measures in the Aegean, Tzohatsopoulos said Athens supported the approaches which aim at easing tension in bilateral level, and the confidence building measures within the framework of NATO.

Tzohatsopoulos stressed that solution of Cyprus problem was a condition for Greece, and underlined that finding a just solution to the problem was also very important for the security relations between Turkey and Greece.

[03] CTP STAGES MARCH PROTESTING ECONOMIC PACKAGE, TALAT CRITICIZES DENKTASH

In a speech Talat said that this symbolic act was against the political and legal structure, and its aim was to ensure that the "government" pays the unpaid salaries, the retroactive debts, and the dues to farmers and livestock breeders.

Talat recalled that at the "assembly" the other day (2 October), Denktash said: "Turkey has certain demands from the government, if the government fulfills these demands, Turkey will pay the money."

Talat said that he strongly protests these remarks uttered by Denktash. All this shows that certain circles want to impose a package on the Turkish Cypriots, he asserted, and this package, which was leaked, brings no solutions to the current problems. On the contrary, it exacerbates the problems, he said.

Talat explained that under the package, the "civil servant" salaries which were not paid this month will be frozen and paid in the future. He said, however, that while balancing the pseudostate/s financial structure, the package does not foresee any measures to increase production. He stressed that the package will bring down the collapsed economy further.

The CTP leader said that the second aim of the protest march was in connection with the Cyprus problem and that it expressed the need for a "government" that represents its people. The current "government" does not represent the people, he said, because the promises made to the people are not being kept.

[04] DENKTASH BLAMES TURKISH CYPRIOT "OFFICIALS" FOR ECONOMIC PACKAGE

Denktash stressed that it is wrong to accuse him or Turkey in connection with the package.

He asserted that the economy is what it is today because of accumulated problems and that those who have been heading the "administration" for the past 15 years have a major responsibility. He said: "It has become a habit to hold Denktash responsible for whatever happens in the country. I wish I had all these powers; then all this would not have happened."

He stated that there exists a very large economic deficit and that everyone knows that unless this deficit is reduced, no measures will help. He said:

"Turkey is trying to close this deficit, even if the medicine is bitter. I told the prime minister and the deputy prime minister a long time ago that they should draw up a package that will help solve the problem and to submit the package to Turkey. I have not understood the reason for their delay in doing that."

[05] TURKISH BANKING COUNCIL CLOSES TURKISH CYPRIOT "BANK" BRANCH

The BDDK says it had to resort to this measure because the "bank" failed to take steps required under the Banking Law to eliminate deficiencies in its financial structure, continued to generate losses, had no asset-building revenues, could not meet expenses, and had no chance of securing from its headquarters the necessary resource to improve its financial set-up.

And in a written statement on the issue, the BDDK reiterates that the activities of the banks in the "TRNC" have been frozen because they have been encountering difficulties for some time now, and that the "Cyprus Credit Bank", which has a branch in Turkey, was amongst them.

Stressing that the role of the Istanbul branch in the overall banking system in Turkey is minute, the statement notes that the saving deposits of the "bank" is 75 billion Turkish Lira (TL) and the number of its individual depositors 731.

The statement also says that under its governing regulations the TMSF will immediately return the guaranteed portion of the deposits, with the accrued interest, to the depositors.

Salih Boyaci, who is the owner of the "Cyprus Credit Bank", is the relative by marriage of Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash. He is the father-in- law of Serdar Denktash, leader of the Democrat Party (DP). Boyaci/s daughter Muge Denktash was the Loans Director up until the "bank" was seized. And before he entered politics, Serdar Denktash, who is still the leader of the DP, was the director of this said "bank".

With TL52 trillion in the red, Boyaci/s "bank" is the biggest loss-maker among the seized banks in the "TRNC". Most recently, just when his "bank" was being seized, Boyaci, who has activities in many fields other than banking, was along with Rauf Denktash inaugurating the Astro supermarket, amongst the largest in the pseudostate. Boyaci/s new venture drew a strong public reaction. His assets were distrained and Astro was closed down following the distress order for TL7 trillion sought and obtained by the new administrators of the bank to cover debts.

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

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