Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-12-12

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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. 239/00 -- 12.12.00

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Finnish ambassador meets Turkish Cypriot party leaders and Denktash.

[02] Denktash on talks, population and property exchange.

[03] Turkey says it never accepted any political criteria as condition in APD.

[04] 2 Kg of Indian Hemp, 1 Kg of Heroin seized.

[05] Cyprus and Aegean not included in Turkey/s EU National Program.

[06] Pseudostate insists on separate "agreement" with UNFICYP, wants addendum.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Finnish ambassador meets Turkish Cypriot party leaders and Denktash KIBRIS (9.12.00) reports that the Finnish Ambassador to Tel-Aviv who is also

Denktash did not make any statement before or after the meeting.

Patokallio said that he came to the island after a long time to be informed on the views of both sides under the light of the new developments in the Cyprus problem. He added that he is really interested to know about the indirect talks and exchange views on domestic issues.

In his statement Akinci noted that Finland/s EU membership should be taken as an example for Cyprus/ membership process. He said that the measures taken by Finland on the Aland Islands where there is an autonomous regime and where people from various nationalities are living, can be a good reference for Cyprus.

Akinci said that the EU introduced a number of rearrangements regarding the Aland Islands despite the fact that it was not in line with the Aquis Communautaire. He added that Finland was admitted to the Union after securing the peaceful existence between Finland and the people living on the islands.

Talat said that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash caused more harm lately to the Turkish Cypriots. "Denktash is not in a hurry. But the Turkish Cypriots, who cannot stand being isolated from the world any longer cannot waste any time due to Cyprus/ accession procedure into the EU". Talat also said that they must insist on the restarting of the indirect talks.

Furthermore, AVRUPA (9.12.00) reports that the Finnish Ambassador paid a visit to the paper and its editor-in-chief Sener Levent. Levent told the Finnish Ambassador that "the TRNC is in fact ruled by Turkey", adding that "Turkish Cypriots must acquire their partnership rights in the Cyprus Republic the soonest possible and enter the EU along with the Greek Cypriots".

[02] Denktash on talks, population and property exchange Anatolia Agency (14:01 hours, 11.12.00) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader

Speaking in the meeting, Denktas said that the Greek Cypriot press claimed that he would submit a comprehensive package in the following weeks to prevent the sixth round of Cyprus proximity talks. He said, ``we have put forward the comprehensive package during the previous rounds.``

"TheTurkish side wants to reach an agreement based on the existence of two states on the island", Denktas noted.

Denktas stated that one of the principles of this agreement is the property exchange which is a requirement of the population exchange.

Insisting on a phrase that ``a person has the right to go to the place where his properties are situated and that he will go to that place`` after the population exchange is made and after the two sides are contented with a bi-zonal future, will remove the bi-zonal structure and will make the population exchange meaningless, Denktas claimed.

Touching on the Loizidou case, Denktas claimed that "this case is a very big injustice done to the Turkish Cypriot nation. That the Greek Cypriot administration started to deal with the property issue by taking this case as an example, undermined the bases of the talks".

Denktas pointed out that the solution of Cyprus question was put in front of Turkey as a precondition. This contradicted with the decision that the proximity talks would continue without any preconditions, he noted.

Denktas added that for the "TRNC" to enter into the EU, the EU has to accept that the rights granted to the Turkish Cypriot side with the 1960 agreements are protected.

Moreover, according to KIBRIS (12.12.00) Denktash said that the rumours that he had prepared a detailed comprehensive package on the Cyprus problem was a figment of imagination. He said: "Rumour is circulating that in the coming weeks I will submit a detailed comprehensive package, and that my aim in doing this is to preclude the 6th round of talks or the package that is being prepared by the foreigners. We put our comprehensive package on the negotiation table during the five rounds of talks. It is very clear what we want. We want an agreement between the two states, where our equality and sovereignty will be taken into account".

[03] Turkey Says It Never Accepted Any Political Criteria as Condition in APD Anatolia Agency (17:32 hours, 11.12.00) reports that the Turkish Foreign

Issuing a statement about the Accession Partnership Document and the National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis (NPAA) which Turkey will prepare, the Ministry recounted that the Accession Partnership Document is a document which was prepared under the responsibility of the EU unilaterally.

The importance of the Document is that it will constitute a basis for the National Programmes that will be prepared by the candidate countries, the Foreign Ministry stressed.

Turkey aims at implementing the issues discussed in the Document in line with the Document and by taking into consideration its own priorities, it was noted.

The Foreign Ministry indicated that the practices of some Copenhagen criteria in member and candidate countries are formed differently according to the characteristics of each country, noting that each candidate puts into practice the expectations from it listed in the Accession Partnership Document due to its own ``realities.``

The related paragraph of the Nice Declaration stressed that the Document will constitute a basis of Turkey`s National Programme, the statement said, pointing out that the thing that matters in the connection between the Document and the NPAA is that of Turkey`s and EU`s sharing the same goals, their working together for this goal and Turkey`s putting into practice the issues mentioned in the Document by the criteria and methods which Turkey will foresee.

The statement stressed that the preparation of the NPAA will be a very important stage in Turkey`s EU membership process, adding that the Foreign Ministry will be in continuous contact with and contribute to the efforts of the State Ministry and Turkey`s Secretariat General for EU which are responsible for the preparation of the NPAA.

Referring to the Cyprus issue and border disputes, the Ministry said that this issue was included in the part ``Enhanced Political Dialogue and Political Criteria`` in the Accession Partnership Document and it referred to the decisions of Declaration of Helsinki Summit. The Foreign Ministry remarked that the mentioned parts of the Document are very clear, adding that these parts were limited by the title ``political dialogue`` and they were separated from political criteria included in the coming paragraphs.

``We have always taken up both issues -both before Turkey`s recognition of EU candidacy and after that- with our counterparts within the framework of political dialogue. But we have never accepted any political criteria as a condition in our relations with an organization or other states,`` it was added.

[04] 2 Kg of Indian Hemp, 1 Kg of Heroin Seized Illegal Bayrak Radio 1 (11:30 hours, 11.12.00) reports that one kg of heroin

Approximately two kilograms of Indian hemp were discovered in the searches conducted in Enver Buldun's car. Engin Imre, Arif Arik, Ali Turan, and Nurettin Buldun were captured in connection with the incident.

In another operation approximately one kg of heroin was discovered in searches conducted in Ertak Ozkan's home. Durmus Yilmaz, Zulfikar Yilmaz, Sedat Yilmaz, and Mustafa Yilmaz were detained in connection with this incident.

[05] Cyprus and Aegean not included in Turkey/s EU National Program A report in CUMHURIYET (Internet Version 9.12.00) says a draft o Turkey/s

According to information obtained from diplomatic sources Ankara will not include in the National Program the expressions used about Cyprus and the Aegean in the APD. A senior diplomat said in a statement to CUMHURIYET:

"The APD was accepted only after the Cyprus and Aegean issues were put within the framework of political dialogue. We do not see those issues as political criteria. The criticisms levelled by the Greek opposition against the Greek government show that this principle has been accepted. Actually the National Program should be a document that defines adaptation of domestic laws to the EU Acquis. Cyprus and the Aegean do not fall within that scope. Still it is the government that will make t6he final decision".

[06] Pseudostate insists on separate "agreement" with UNFICYP, wants addendum KIBRIS (12.12.00) reports that the pseudostate is firm on signing an

KIBRIS adds that the UN Security Council yesterday started debating the Cyprus problem. The UN Secretary General/s Special Cyprus Advisor, Alvaro de Soto, briefed the Council members on his contacts in Athens, Nicosia and Ankara.

Speaking after the meeting, do Soto said that he informed the Council members about the Secretary General/s goodwill mission. However, he declined to disclose any further information. When a Turkey/s semi-official Anatolia Agency correspondent asked him to comment on Denktash/s decision to withdraw from the talks, de Soto said "we do not consider this decision as final".

KIBRIS further reports that the so-called TRNC diplomats have said they want an addendum to be attached to the Security Council/s new resolution, and to this end it is necessary to "sign an agreement" between the sides which will enable UNFICYP to carry out its duties in the occupied area.

KIBRIS says that the Security Council will continue its deliberations today in drafting the text of the resolution which will extend the UNFICYP/s mandate.

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

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