Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 01-01-12

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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. 9/01 -- 12.1.01

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash meets Hannay, says there cannot be `forced/ proximity talks, comments on the Tziakourmas case.

[02] Eroglu meets Gurel, says strengthening economy will boost morale of people.

[03] Pseudostate/s economy ``on the operating table''.

[04] Denktash meets foreign diplomats.

[05] ``This is our country'' platform rejects integration policy.

[06] Eroglu says proximity talks may continue if Annan changes position.

[07] Eroglu: Important meeting held with Ecevit toward resolving ``TRNC'' issues.

[08] Press cards scandal against AVRUPA.

[A] NEWS ITEMS Denktas Meets Hannay, Says There Cannot Be 'Forced' Proximity Talks, comments on the Tziakourmas case Illegal Bayrak Radio 1 (16:30 hours, 11 Jan 01) reports that following his meeting that lasted about two and a half hours with Rauf Denktas yesterday, Sir David Hannay, the British special envoy to Cyprus, refused to comment on the content of the talks. Rauf Denktas said after the meeting that Sir David Hannay was holding these contacts to assess the proximity talks and the stand of the Turkish Cypriot side. Denktas said: ``The honorable Hannay told us what he thinks. We told him what we think. What we are interested in is to sign a sound agreement that cannot be undone by the Greek Cypriots again''.

Denktas said that he explained all these points to Sir David Hannay in detail. Both sides expressed their views sincerely, he said, and I hope it was a useful meeting.

Denktas then replied to reporters' questions. A reporter recalled that the UN secretary general will be in Geneva from 26 to 29 January, and asked him if he would accept if the secretary general extended an invitation. Denktas said that he intends to continue with the sincere dialogue with the UN secretary general and his representatives, and that he has conveyed this to the secretary general. He said: ``Our framework has been drawn. We will inform the honorable secretary general separately, in written form. If he issues an invitation without making sure beforehand that we will come, the secretary general will be ignoring our existence, our will, and the resolution our people took through their legitimate institutions. This is incompatible with his goodwill mission. The goodwill mission gives him the right to do things both sides agree to. I do not think that he will do that''.

Denktas said a new process may begin ``if the UN secretary general makes a satisfactory move in line with the Turkish Cypriot side's demands for the recognition of its equal sovereignty''. If necessary, he said, he may go to Geneva to meet with the secretary general.

A reporter asked: ``If you go to Geneva, and Clerides also happens to be there at the same time, what will that mean?'' Denktas replied: ``If Clerides goes to Geneva he will be going for the proximity talks. Since I am not going to the proximity talks, it is impossible for me to be in Geneva at the same time. If necessary, I can go to New York and confer with the secretary general there''.

Denktas stressed that his presence in Geneva at the same time with President Clerides would run counter to the authorization the Turkish Cypriots gave to him through their so-called parliament. Denktas said that he will write to Kofi Annan to explain the situation. I am confident that he will understand, he said, adding: ``Just as there cannot be a forced marriage, there cannot be a forced meeting. We did not flee the table. The table changed its shape and its meaning. We had sat at the table without preconditions, but subsequently such preconditions were posited to us at that table that we could not go on in the same way. Certain things need to be reassessed''.

Furthermore, illegal Bayrak Radio 1 (11:30 hours, 11.1.01) reports that, asked by the Greek Cypriot reporters to comment on the Tziakourmas incident, Denktas replied: ``The courts of the sovereign Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will decide on that. The extradition of Tziakourmas is up to the court. It seems, however, that both Tziakourmas and Omer Tekogul are sick. They need treatment. If the two sides reach an agreement, Tziakourmas and Tekogul can be mutually released on bail''.

Sir David Hannay refrained from replying to questions before the meeting.

[02] Eroglu Meets Gurel, Says Strengthening Economy will Boost Morale of People

Gurel said that they hope to gain the results of the efficient initiatives carried out between Turkey and ``TRNC'' for some time.

Emphasizing the importance of Eroglu`s visit which was held simultaneously with the ``Turkey-TRNC Partnership Council'' meeting, Gurel noted that they will review the resolutions in the council and that this review will ensure economic rapprochement and development with the ``TRNC''.

Eroglu said ``TRNC is facing intensive days again. Moses is here. We always feel the support of the motherland.``

Fortification of the pseudostate/s economy ``will moralize the nation and will give them strength in their rightful case'', Eroglu noted.

Emphasizing that ``TRNC'' is bound to the motherland and that there cannot be a ``TRNC'' without the motherland although some people claim the opposite, Eroglu said that they are aware of this truth.

When asked whether or not the action plan regarding ``TRNC'' which was prepared by Turkey will be discussed during this visit, Gurel said, ``no. There is a stability program in Cyprus. The economy is under the influence of a cruel embargo. They are implementing a program to overcome the problem.``

Gurel added, ``we will extend the necessary support. The action plan is a plan of the Turkish government about what can be done by Turkey, the public institutions and organizations of Turkey to develop the economic and social situation of Cyprus.``

[03] Pseudostate/s economy ``on the operating table'' Turkish Daily News (11.1.10) reports that the pseudostate/s economy will be

Turkish State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel and so-called prime minister Dervis Eroglu will be co-chairing the meetings, which will have participation by top economy bureaucrats of both sides.

The ``Turkey-TRNC Association Council'', which was established as a retaliation to the 1997 Luxembourg Summit decision of the European Union to open accession talks with the Cyprus Government, is the top body to discuss measures for eventual full economic and social integration between Turkey and the pseudostate.

High on the agenda of the ``Association Council'' will be Turkish financing for the acute financial crisis in the occupied area that has been continuing on and off since the 1994 crisis in Turkey, but aggravated last year with the collapse of six offshore banks.

Despite ``intimate'' relations between Ankara and the pseudostate and the pledge for eventual integration, in the approaches of the two sides to both a Turkish-aid package and the economic measures to be taken in the occupied area the two sides appear far apart.

While Ankara is offering $350 million in financial assistance over a three- year period for the restructuring of the pseudostate/s economy, Turkish Cypriots are asking $980 million in Turkish aid to finance urgent needs and to introduce a comprehensive, planned and farsighted recovery and restructuring program.

Turkish Cypriot ``official'' sources, complaining of a lack of political will in Ankara, charge that top Turkish economy bureaucrats were giving advice to the pseudostate as if they were totally alien to the situation in the occupied area and as if the pseudo-government had any financial tools other than Turkish financial assistance to solve the economic crisis.

As Ankara is advising the Turkish Cypriots to a tough austerity package, the pseudo-government is telling Ankara that as there is almost no industry and no local currency in the occupied area the remedy for the current economic crisis ought to be a program that envisions attaining a high- growth rate.

The ultimate aim of the restructuring program, according to Turkish Cypriot sources, ought to be to create an economy in the pseudostate that could cope with the challenges that a Turkey-``TRNC'' free trade area - that will be established eventually - would pose.

Ankara, on the other hand, has been complaining that although the austerity package decision was taken back in October last year, the Turkish Cypriot ``administration'' has not yet even submitted some of the ``bills'' for ``parliamentary'' approval and that there is a delay in the implementation of the program.

Besides a $350 million three-year aid program Turkey is planning to unveil for the pseudostate - the aid package is already decided by the three-way Nationalist Mother-Left coalition government of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit - Turkey is planning to initiate a set of measures that aim to strengthen both the economic well-being of the pseudostate and to eliminate its international isolation. These measures will also be on the agenda of the ``Association Council''.

According to well-placed Turkish and Turkish Cypriot sources, these measures that will be implemented in phases, will enhance integration of Turkey and the pseudostate in almost all fields.

[04] Denktash meets foreign diplomats KIBRISLI (12.1.01) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash had a

Denktash/s advisors Ergun Olgun, Taner Etkin and Mustafa Evran were also present at the meeting.

No statement was made before or after the meeting.

According to HALKIN SESI (12.1.01), Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash also had a meeting yesterday with the Austrian Ambassador to Athens who is also accredited to Cyprus, Hans Sabaditsch. It was a farewell visit on the part of the Austrian ambassador.

[05] ``This is our country'' platform rejects integration policy The front page article of AVRUPA (12.1.01) under the headlines: ``No to the

The platform ``This is our country'', in a declaration that was published yesterday, announced that they reject the ``protocols'' which will be signed today during the ``Turkey-TRNC Joint Association Council'' meeting.

The declaration reads: ``The preparatory works for the Joint Association Council meeting begin today. The decisions the Joint council will take are already known. Various issues like the integration issue and the secret `Cyprus Action Plan/ which has been recently published in the press will be on the agenda and various directives will be given which are not to our benefit.

The policies pursued are threatening the existence of the Turkish Cypriot people. We reject the integration policies and the protocols of the Joint Association Council which aims to annihilate the Turkish Cypriot people and which do not respect the view that the Turkish Cypriot people do have the right of say''.

[06] Eroglu says proximity talks may continue if Annan changes position KIBRIS (12.1.01) reports that so-called prime minister Dervis Eroglu, who is

Turkey is informed about how the aid is spent, Eroglu said.

When a reporter asked him how the ``TRNC'' was regarding the UN/s initiatives to convince them to restart negotiations, Eroglu said the ``TRNC'' was running its national policy on this matter together with Turkey.

Criticizing the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan/s attitude towards the ``TRNC'' during the first five proximity talks, Eroglu said the UN Secretary General presented a non-document which supported the Cyprus Government on November 8 making it meaningless for the ``TRNC'' to continue the talks.

``If the UN Secretary General changes his position and creates an improved ground, then the talks would continue'', he asserted. ``The non-document proposed by Annan would take Turkish Cypriots to the period before 1974. I can/t yet say that there is an improved ground for the talks to continue''.

Answering another question, Eroglu said the ``Action Plan'' prepared recently by the Turkish Ministers Council was ``excellent''.

The ``Action Plan'' authorizes certain Turkish authorities to follow up and monitor economic developments in the ``TRNC'' and support the ``TRNC'' in certain fields, he explained. ``This doesn/t offend us, on the contrary we are pleased about this plan'', he commented.

When asked if the ``TRNC'' side asked Turkey to increase the amount of 350 million US dollar loan to the ``TRNC'', Eroglu affirmed it adding that the Turkish officials would assess this possibility.

[07] Eroglu: Important meeting held with Ecevit toward resolving ``TRNC'' issues

In a statement he issued after the meeting, Eroglu said that an important and beneficial meeting was held with Ecevit.

In reply to a question on the Cyprus issue and the contacts of Alfred Moses and Sir David Hannay, Eroglu said that it cannot be said that the necessary grounds for the talks have been laid, adding that searches are under way for improved grounds. ``A favourable ground is yet to be found'', he said.

[08] Press cards scandal against AVRUPA The front page article of AVRUPA (11.1.01 under the headlines ``Scandal with

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