Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 01-01-29

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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. 19/01 -- 27-28-29

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash explains new round of talks unnecessary after meeting with De Soto.

[02] Bayram: ``TRNC'' can no longer meet public finance needs by borrowing money.

[03] Yilmaz warns Sweden/s Lindh on Text, timing of national programme for EU.

[04] CTP stresses two state Turkish guarantorship.

[05] Turkey/s Yilmaz meets EU/s Verheugen in Davos.

[06] Headscarves banned in ``TRNC'' universities.

[07] Denktash meets families of 1974 dead.

[08] Jaundice in primary school.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash explains new round of talks unnecessary after meeting with De Soto

Speaking after the meeting, Denktash said that it was a difficult meeting and he explained the situation and his ideas to De Soto.

Denktash said that he explained to the special envoy why the new round of talks was not necessary, adding that ``the reason of getting no result from the five rounds of talks is the recognition of the Greek Cypriot side as the legitimate government. If you want to have the island get united under the roof of confederation, you should accept our equality. There are two separate democracies, two separate governments and two separate peoples on the island. There are two former partners of the Cyprus Republic which was overthrown in 1963. If such an atmosphere is wished to be prepared, the existence of the two governments has to be accepted''.

When journalists asked him if he expected a new development, Denktash said it is very early to say something now, adding that he will meet with De Soto tomorrow.

De Soto said in his part that he will meet with Denktash and President Clerides once again on Monday.

Bayram: 'TRNC' Can No Longer Meet Public Finance Needs By Borrowing Money According to illegal Bayrak Radio (27.1.01) the so-called minister of economy and finance, Mehmet Bayram has said that the occupied area can no longer meet its public finance needs by borrowing money. We must establish a sustainable public finance balance, he said, and that is what we are trying to do.

Mehmet Bayram was interviewed on the "Third Dimension" programme aired on illegal BRT Television on Friday. Replying to anchor Ozer Kalman's questions, Bayram first discussed the importance for the Turkish Cypriots of developing the economic and financial relations with Turkey, and the contributions Turkey has been making to the development of the Turkish Cypriot economy. He stressed that Turkey is a door that opens to the world for the occupied area which is under all kinds of embargoes. He explained that the single aim of the Economic and Financial Cooperation Protocol signed with Turkey is to overcome the structural problems of the occupied area/s economy. ``It is a grave mistake, he said, to interpret it differently and say that the TRNC is becoming another Turkish province.''

In reply to questions on the financial situation in the ``public sector'', he pointed out that even though ``state'' revenues increased since 1994, the ``public deficit'' grew. He said that the TRNC can no longer meet its public finance needs by borrowing money, adding: We must establish a sustainable public finance balance''.

In reply to questions on the banks and the bank depositors, Bayram said that the depositors of PEYAK [Personnel Mutual Aid Cooperatives Corporation] Bank will certainly be paid in line with a payment plan, just like the depositors of the other banks.

Asked to comment on the criticism that the so-called government has not been able to save the banks, Bayram replied: You may try to meld empty glasses together until tomorrow. You cannot have a full glass by melding four empty glasses.''

Bayram said that certain demands have been made in connection with some of the banks, and that theso-called ministry will continue to assess them. He announced that the so-called government is thinking of further developing the ``Central Bank Law and the Banks Law''. He said that the number of banks which stands at 36 must be reduced, and that the government will encourage the merger of banks.

[03] Yilmaz Warns Sweden's Lindh on Text, Timing of National Program for EU According to Ankara Radio (06:39 hours, 28.1.01) the Deputy Prime Minister

Following his contacts, Yilmaz told reporters that his meeting with Lindh was a continuation of the talks he had with her in Ankara and he told her that the government was about to complete Turkey`s National Programme.

"However, I told Lindh that, as I agreed with Verheugen yesterday, Turkey will submit the National Programme after the Council of Europe approves it. I explained that there were disagreements on certain matters about the programme in Turkey and we expect Sweden to show understanding as the term president."

On the Cyprus issue, Yilmaz said, the Swedish government thinks that the EU should not be involved in the Cyprus conflict which is fully parallel to Turkey`s views.

During the meeting, Yilmaz said he told the Swedish foreign minister that the EU should reassess Turkey`s role in the Rapid Action Force which the EU is planning to form as part of the European Security and Defence Identity.

When asked what the disagreements on the National Programme were, Yilmaz said these were about certain political criteria. "These are problems which Sweden has been very sensitive about for a long time. I told them that the text might be different than their expectations in terms of timing. I warned them so that they won`t be surprised."

Before leaving Davos, Yilmaz met with Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou for nearly 1,5 hours in the morning.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Yilmaz said that they had a very beneficial meeting with Papandreou.

``As you know he is one of the architects of the Turkish-Greek dialogue. He has been in a very constructive attitude about this issue till today. We`ve evaluated the Turkish-EU relations in our meeting. We discussed the steps we will take in the coming period regarding this process. We gave detailed information to him about the national programme we have been preparing. We had the impression that Greece would follow a constructive attitude in this process. Greece has some expectations. We will evaluate them separately. There are three agreements signed between the two countries concerning bilateral relations. We reached a consensus on speeding up the ratification process of these agreements in Turkish and Greek parliaments. We also think that negotiations on the prevention of double taxation should be taken up at the political level and implemented as soon as possible. At the meeting we also evaluated the recent developments about the Cyprus issue. I explained the reasons of the recent attitude of the Turkish Cypriot side about this issue. We expressed our wish to resume these talks directed at finding a solution that will be accepted by both sides in Cyprus. Greek Foreign Minister will probably pay an official visit to Turkey in March. I believe that we will have submitted the national programme to the EU Commission by that date. We will have the opportunity to make a more healthy evaluation about the coming period then.``

Recounting that Greece will become the EU Term President in the beginning of 2003, Yilmaz said that ``they also wanted us to inform them about the issues that we want EU to take up in their own term presidency.``

Yilmaz said that he also explained the attitude of Turkey regarding the rapid reaction force planned to be formed within the European Defence and Security Identity (ESDI) of EU, adding that he expressed his hope for finding a fair solution in this issue.

When a journalist asked Yilmaz if basic issues like the Aegean were taken up in the meeting, Yilmaz said that ``No. We only focused on the necessity of continuing the dialogue started in the relations between Turkey and Greece. We evaluated the recent situation in Cyprus.``

When another journalist asked him about the expectations of Greece regarding the national programme, Yilmaz said that this was not connected with the issue of national programme.

``Greece had wishes about Cyprus issue and the bilateral issues which she had earlier voiced. We have some priorities about these issues, too. There is no reservation that limits taking up these issues, thus we said that we are always ready to discuss all the problems,`` Yilmaz said.

When a journalist asked him if Greece assured any guarantee regarding the frame regulation of EU, Yilmaz said ``No. But in my opinion Greece won`t pursue a policy which will impede Turkish-EU relations at this stage.``

When asked how Turkey evaluates the non-inclusion of Turkey in EU`s ten years enlargement perspective, Yilmaz said that the recent developments about this issue have negatively affected in a considerable extent the positive views of Turkish public opinion about the EU.

Recounting that he told the same thing to the Swedish Foreign Minister, Yilmaz said that ``she told me that they will correct this during their term presidency. From now on the EU enlargement mechanisms have to be taken up by covering 28 countries, not 27. Mr. Papandreou will leave for Sweden from here and hold contacts there. He told me that he shared the same view. Thus we expect the mistake the EU made towards us to be corrected in the coming period,`` he said.

When asked if issues of democratization and human rights came to the agenda in his meeting with the Swedish foreign minister, Yilmaz said that ``Yes, I told her about the issues on which we search for a compromise within the framework of the national programme in Turkey. These are issues which Sweden has always been interested and sensitive. But as the national programme will reflect our commitments, it will certainly give first place to our priorities and to our sensitivities.`` Responding to a question about his meeting with IMF Vice President Stanley Fisher, Yilmaz said that ``he told me that they closely monitor the economic developments in Turkey and he believed that the government should focus on money markets and the banking sector in the coming period. He stressed that the government has to closely monitor the developments in the banking sector. Our government acts in the same line and we share this view.``

[04] CTP Stresses Two States, Turkish Gurantorship According to HALKIN SESI (19.1.01) following is the text of the interview

Question: As the CTP, do you accept the guarantorship right of Turkey and do you envisage Turkey's effective and de facto gurantorship in a possible solution?

Answer: Mr. Sinasi Basaran, thank you for asking this question. I also thank you for giving me the opportunity as the party General Secretary of relaying CTP's views to the public. I believe that you will receive these with understanding.

We at the CTP, place importance to three fundamental elements in a solution to be found in Cyprus. CTP is a party that calls for the existence of a region where the Turkish Cypriot people would enjoy population and ownership majority and free self-administration, for the creation of a state that would be a part of and constitute the foundation of a solution to be arrived by joint effort, and, as the requirement of that statehood, for Turkey's guarantorship within the framework of the 1960 Guarantee and Alliance agreements and all that these agreements entail. These are CTP's inalterable and indispensable conditions for a solution.

Question: You are of course speaking about the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus [KKTC] established by the Turkish Cypriots, are you not?

Answer: This is what we are saying now. The Turkish Cypriot people must definitely have their own state in this solution. The name of this state can be the KKTC or something else, but a state it will definitely have. The status of this state is far more important than its name. And when we say that this state must administer itself, we mean that it must have its own parliament, government, security organs, and a democratic state structure. This state must be completely equal in status, functions, and role with the Greek Cypriot state that would also emerge from a solution. It should neither be lower or higher in status. It must be equal. Both the joint sovereignty and the separate sovereignty of the two peoples, must be based on definite political equality.

Now as regards the EU. This issue is indeed the reason why our party leader Mehmet Ali Talat constantly stresses the point that negotiations and the solution based on these should be given priority. We want Cyprus to become an EU member concurrently with a solution, that is, after a solution is reached. Why? Because the constitutional, territorial, property, and all the administrative regulations of an agreement would form the inalterable foundations of the structure that would join the EU. If, however, the south enters the EU unilaterally before a solution, then, even if the sides do reach an eventual settlement, the things agreed upon would be of secondary value to the EU. They would lose their importance. And we as the CTP see this to be very dangerous.

Question: Mr. Ferdi, are you saying EU after a solution?

Answer: Yes, yes, yes.

Question: So, what do you say about Turkey's active de facto guarantorship and presence of its troops here in the North after a solution?

Answer: As I mentioned above, Turkey will have guarantorship rights during the process of solution. Gurantorship rights will continue to be a part, an element, and basis of the partnership agreement to be reached after a solution. Thus, after the solution we would enter the EU together with all these aggregate agreements. That is, we will join the EU with the gurantorship rights, with the role and function of the state, with its constitutional regulations, and with the property arrangements. And one of the elements of this Gurantee Agreement is for guarantor Turkey to have here Turkish Armed Forces troops as guarantors, the number of which will be agreed upon. I cannot tell you right now what that number would be. This is not contrary to EU norms and the EU will have to accept this within this framework. As it is, there are already examples of this.

For instance, the United States is not an EU member. Yet even though it is not an EU member it has troop presence in Europe in line with the agreements it has concluded with Germany and other European countries in the aftermath of the Second World War. There are, therefore, legal precedents under the international law, and the [Turkish troop presence in Cyprus] is thus both correct and in line with the international norms.

Question: Then as far as I can make out, are you saying that we should join the EU with Turkey's active and de facto guarantorship, two separate states, and a solution to be found by these two separate states?

Answer: Now... Two states will definitely be part of this solution. I am especially stressing this point. And a partnership state, a partnership state based on political equality, will rise above these two states. The powers and functions of this partnership state and of the two other constituent states will be determined at the talks. The powers and functions would be ascertained at the talks. What should be the essential guiding principle here? Our powers and status should enable us to administer ourselves, in such a way that we would have neither less nor more of what the Greek Cypriot would be having. The important think is to have an equal and substantive status.

Question: Are you saying all this to the Europeans and their representatives visiting you?

Answer: We not only tell them about these issues but also point out the serious dangers that would arise if the South Cyprus were to join the EU unilaterally. We keep telling them that is an extremely wrong and dangerous move that would [endanger] the communal existence of the Turkish Cypriot people, facilitate the partitioning of Cyprus, pit Turkey and Greece against each other, and create conflict between Turkey and the EU.

Question: Are you saying that there can be no solution to the Cyprus problem without Turkey?

Answer: Most definitely, most definitely. We are telling everyone that a solution in which Turkey is not a party will not be a solution at all. This is why I am saying that in looking for a solution we should make provisions for the mutual interests of Turkey, Greece, United States, the EU, and Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities.

[05] Turkey's Yilmaz Meets EU's Verheugen in Davos According to TRT (26.1.01) Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mesut

Following the meeting, Yilmaz told reporters that he briefed Verheugen on the national programme and that the national programme will be submitted to the EU Commission by the end of February.

Yilmaz said that the frame regulation will be debated by the European Parliament by February 15 and that after the frame regulation is approved, the national programme can be submitted to the EU Commission.

He also discussed Turkey-EU relations and other issues with Verheugen, Yilmaz noted.

Responding to a question, Yilmaz said that the national programme is a very comprehensive initiative and that he told Verheugen that giving priority to some issues in the national programme will be harmful. He said that the EU also knows about the issues over which Turkey has sensitivity.

Yilmaz stated that the Cyprus question was brought to the agenda in the meeting and that he expressed the problems whichmay occur if Cyprus becomes a EU member without reaching a political solution on the island.

Yilmaz said, ``we expressed the factors which are indispensable for us regarding the Cyprus question.``

He told Verheugen that some of the developments marked following the Helsinki Summit were negative, Yilmaz pointed out, noting that Turkey is not being included in the EU until 2010 led to negative reflections in Turkey.

Yilmaz quoted Verheugen as saying that Turkey was not named in the EU program until 2010 because all the countries which were named in the program until 2010 were the countries, the full membership negotiations of which had been started. Yilmaz said that Verheugen told him that Turkey was not in this group.

Yilmaz noted that Verheugen backs the start of full membership negotiations with Turkey in the possible shortest time.

[06] Headscarves Banned in 'TRNC' Universities According to HaberTurk (27.1.01) in a report entitled ``Reactionary

The Reaction of University Administrators

The administrators of the so-called universities in the occupied area are reacting to the headscarf ban for various reasons. Some of the administrators claim that the number of students wearing headscarves is not large while some claim that expelling students wearing headscarves is not democratic.

The Cyprus Initiative of Religious Organizations

More than five percent of the 25,000 students enrolled in the so-called universities in the occupied area wear headscarves. The percentage of students who are graduates of Imam Hatip High Schools in Turkey has increased steadily since 1994 exceeding 8 percent. ``Laws in Cyprus'' do not ban headscarves, nor do they impose any restrictions on religious activities. Therefore, certain ultra religious organizations who face difficulties in Turkey are able to easily engage in activities in the occupied area.

The MGK Report Has Caused the ``TRNC''To Act

The report entitled "Reactionary activities in Cyprus" submitted to the MGK in October 2000 noted that fanatic religious groups in Turkey were moving toward the occupied area. Ankara warned Denktash/s regime in the wake of the report and asked that arrangements be made to prevent reactionary activities. The report submitted to the MGK also disturbed the Turkish Cypriots who are known for their secular tendencies.

[07] Denktash meet families of 1974 dead According to KIBRIS (27.1.01) Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, who

Denktash presented them with the flag of the so-called pseudostate as well as a shield.

Relatives of the dead soldiers told Denktash that when four years ago, they visited the occupied area, the so-called prime minister Dervish Eroglu promised to allocate them houses in Cyprus. The relatives demanded from Denktash to keep this promise. Denktash said that if there is such promise then it should be kept.

[08] Jaundice in primary shcool According to KIBRIS (28.1.01) four students in the occupied area have been

KIBRIS says that the disease was first diagnosed in two pupils whose parents are illegal workers living in a dwelling not suitable for living. It is believed these two students in turn passed on the disease to two more classmates.

Parents in the school expressed fear that the contagious disease will spread.

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

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