Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 01-11-01

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader invokes various pretexts to justify his intransigence on the Cyprus problem.

[02] Ciller worries about risks for a few dollars more.

[03] Talat met with the Italian Ambassador to Cyprus and EU MP/s.

[04] The Cyprus problem is being discussed in Washington.

[05] Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas to be operated in three months.

[06] The NPM criticizes Jacque Poos.

[07] Banknotes of 20 million Turkish liras to be put into circulation.

[08] The occupation regime prevented Turkish Cypriot Cartoonists from crossing to the free areas.

[09] New threats against AVRUPA newspaper.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader invokes various pretexts to justify his intransigence on the Cyprus problem

In reply to a question Denktas said: "The UN Secretary-General is authorized to fit the Turkish Cypriots into the Cyprus Republic which the UN Security Council still considers to be in existence. This authorization is entirely wrong. The Cyprus problem should first be diagnosed. The ground should be prepared. The proximity talks were launched in a bid to prepare this ground. We did not accept the invitation to the talks because we were actually invited to attend this operation to fit us in. We are insistent on preparing the ground".

Alleging that the balances in Cyprus will change if Cyprus is accepted as EU member, Denktas said:

"If they commit such an error, then they will see what manoeuvres the Greek Cypriots will resort to in order to cause a clash between Turkey and the EU and, if necessary, to cause a Turkish-Greek war. If they have still not seen through the Greeks and the Greek Cypriots, and if they are still ignorant of what the Greeks can risk in order to get hold of Cyprus, then this means that they are aware of nothing".

[02] Ciller worries about risks for a few dollars more

"Main opposition True Path Party (TPP) leader Tansu Ciller on Wednesday voiced her concerns about sending troops abroad to join forces with the United States and Britain in the war against terror without directly naming it.

"I hope we don't face failure for a few dollars more," Ciller said. Speaking at her party's group meeting at Parliament, Ciller asked the government to resign immediately and said she is ready to take on this important mission. Noting that she will tour the party leaders next week in order to boost support for amending Election and Political Party Laws, Ciller said, "Turkey is becoming a country needing intensive care in the hands of a 'medical' government."

Ciller harshly criticized the government saying that the economic and political crises are swiftly leading the country to a "state crisis."

Ciller asked Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit to respond to the criticism that Turkey is facing a state depression on the 78th anniversary of the republic.

The opposition party leader said that Turkey's name is not being mentioned in any international environment and the people of the country are asking for snap elections.

"We should not be late. When tradesmen take to the streets and post ads in newspapers complaining about the government, it means it is already late," Ciller said.

Stating that she will recover Turkey's situation in three or four months time if she comes to power, Ciller stated that the number of deputies in the 550-seat Parliament should be reduced to 450".

[03] Talat met with the Italian Ambassador to Cyprus and EU MP's

Prior to the meeting Talat said that he will brief the Italian Ambassador on the Cyprus problem and on his party's views relating to Cyprus' accession to the EU. He also explained that Italy is one of the important countries in the EU and added that the Italians have a lot of resemblances with the Turkish Cypriots because they are all Mediterranean people.

Claiming that the Cyprus' accession procedure in the EU is not fair, Talat said that the Turkish Cypriots do not participate in the procedure and added that as a party they always support the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the discussions because he believes that this will increase their interest in the EU.

On his part, in a short statement the Italian Ambassador said that he will listen with great interest to what the RTP leader will say and stressed that the exchange of views and the dialogue are really important.

The newspaper also reports that the British members of the European Parliament Andrew Duff and Baroness Sarah Ludford visited yesterday the leader of RTP Mr Talat. They discussed the Cyprus problem and the Cyprus accession to the EU. After the meeting Talat said that he explained to the British members of the European Parliament the political and economic problems of the Turkish Cypriots.

Indicating the importance of Cyprus' accession in the EU with the solution, Talat said that a solution to the Cyprus problem must be found as soon as possible. Talat, criticizing the stance of the President of the European Commission, Mr Romano Prodi, and the Rapporteur on Cyprus of the European Parliament, Mr Poos, said that the reason for their stance is, on the one hand the understanding that exists in South Cyprus and on the other "the policy of hostility towards the EU which is in line with the intransigent policy of Denktas-NUP-DP mentality" who are in the so-called government.

Finally, Talat criticized also the policy of the so-called government of Denktas-NUP- DP, which applies a tourist visa to the EU Ambassador Mr Chiarini when he crosses to the occupied areas and said that they must stop it.

[04] The Cyprus problem is being discussed in Washington

As reported, during the meetings, which are organized by the Western Policy Center and the National Defense University, the possibilities for cooperation between Greece and Turkey in the region will be examined. One of the participants in the meetings is ambassador Tom Weston, Special Coordinator of the State Department for Cyprus.

KIBRIS notes that the Western Policy Center has announced that the four issues to be discussed during the meetings are the confidence building measures in Cyprus and the Aegean, stabilization in Kosovo and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and regional efforts against terrorism.

The Turkish delegation to the meeting, which is to end on Friday, consists of Turhan Ozer, retired admiral and one of the chief advisors of Prime Minister Ecevit, Armagan Kuloglu, retired major general and chairman of the Geopolitical and Strategic Researches of the Eurasian Strategic Researches Center (ASAM) and Dr. Umit Ozdag, ASAM's chairman.

The Greek side is represented in the meetings by Dr. Stelios Alifantis, retired admiral and former advisor in the Ministry of National Defense, Antonios Filippou, retired admiral and Dr. Sergios Zambouras, representing the Mediterranean Studies Fund.

[05] Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas to be operated in three months

Mr. Hasturer wonders what the reaction of Ankara will be in case the appropriate conditions for the solution of the Cyprus problem are formed in the meantime as a result of the initiatives undertaken by the USA and the EU. Mr. Hasturer writes, among other things, the following:

"The traffic on the Cyprus problem intensifies every day. The Western countries and mainly the USA, England and the EU, have intensified the political behind the scene actions for the creation of a new period in Cyprus. .

While this traffic on the Cyprus problem intensifies the attention is focused on the TRNC President Rauf Denktas. Even if the public opinion is not informed, the feeling that Rauf Denktas has health problems is being evaluated.

During the period after his health check-up in Istanbul, it is said that there is a possibility that Denktas will undergo an operation within the next three months. The following question is also asked in relation to this point: 'if the conditions for the solution of the Cyprus problem are prepared, could a possible health problem of Denktas prevent the developments? What will Ankara do in this case?' .".

[06] The NPM criticizes Jacque Poos

NPM's coordinator, Taner Etkin, issued yesterday a statement claiming that Mr. Poos has no right to condition Turkey's EU accession and consider himself the one and only representative of the EU.

Mr. Etkin also alleged that the Cyprus problem is not an obstacle for Turkey 's accession to the EU, whereas as the side, which must not enter the Union before the solution of this problem, is the Greek Cypriot side, as he calls the Republic of Cyprus.

[07] Banknotes of 20 million Turkish liras to be put into circulation

The paper writes that banknotes of 10 million liras were issued in 1999 and put into circulation on the 5th November of the same year.

[08] The occupation regime prevented Turkish Cypriot Cartoonists from crossing to the free areas

Cartoons with political content that were published in the Turkish and Greek Cypriot press from 1960 until 2000 were exhibited. The exhibition was organized by the Cyprus House of Representatives.

[09] New threats against AVRUPA newspaper

The paper is bringing this information to the attention of the "police" and wonders whether a new "operation" is being prepared against it.

KV/SK

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