Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-04-30

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas continuous his intransigent stance.

[02] De Soto: I could not understand how Denktas opened the doors to the Greek Cypriots.

[03] AFRIKA criticizes the obstacles put by the Turkish side to the Greek Cypriots who want to cross over to the occupied areas.

[04] Eroglu alleges that the Greek Cypriots are foreigners in their own country. 5. Serdar Denktas alleges that the limited free movement will bring the solution in Cyprus.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas continuous his intransigent stance

Speaking to a group of Turkish teachers Denktas referred to the recent developments in Cyprus, and commenting on the congestions faced at the crossing points Denktas said: "Soon the honeymoon would end and the congestions would die out and it would become normal. We could resort to new openings because we feel confident and the aim is to level the ground .We hope the result would be reconciliation".

Regarding Cyprus' accession to the EU, Denktas said: "Cyprus, even if united, cannot enter the EU. Cyprus cannot go to a place where Turkey is absent. The Greek Cypriots resort to this action to realize indirect Enosis. We could not approve of this with our signature and we did not do it. As a result of it we have been branded as intransigent".

[02] De Soto: I could not understand how Denktas opened the doors to the Greek Cypriots.

De Soto said that this action by Denktas has softened the atmosphere in Cyprus. De Soto branded as "a major surprise" Denktas' decision to let the crossings between the occupied area and the free areas of Cyprus free. De Soto went on and said: "During all negotiations Denktas put forward the view that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and he tried to prove this. However, I could not understand why now he took a diametrically opposite decision". The UN official welcomed Denktas' decision branding it a right and appropriate decision.

De Soto further said that there was difference of views between Denktas and the Turkish government. When asked to comment on the question that "in The Hague Turkey has accepted the UN plan but Denktas rejected it", De Soto said: "It is difficult to say that Turkey said a complete "yes" to the plan. However, it has put forward a legitimate objection that it cannot sign the agreement unless it gets the approval of the Turkish Grand National Assembly-a constitutional objection that one could understand. As for Denktas he openly rejected accepting the plan as basis for a solution". De Soto claimed that President Tassos Papadopoulos as well put forward heavy conditions for an agreement. However, Denktas did not act the way the Greek Cypriots acted. As a result, Denktas was branded not the only responsible but the main responsible for the non-solution".

ZAMAN newspaper ,internet version (30.04.03), publishes a statement by the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas who strongly reacted to De Soto's statement and said: "The most important issue that De Soto did not understand is that we have opened the doors as the TRNC".

Denktas went on and said that it was unfair to put all the responsibility of the Hague failure on his shoulders. He branded the settlement proposal in the Annan plan as a "prescription for disaster".

[03] AFRIKA criticizes the obstacles put by the Turkish side to the Greek Cypriots who want to cross over to the occupied areas

Under the front-page banner title "It is not Iraq, it is Cyprus!" and the subtitle "Are they prisoners, tourists or citizens?", the paper writes, inter alia, the following:

"Despite the fact that a week has passed since the gates were opened, the Turkish side could somehow not make the necessary steps to facilitate the crossings and the torture at the barricade has not stopped.".

[04] Eroglu alleges that the Greek Cypriots are foreigners in their own country

Asked after the meeting of the so-called "council of ministers" regarding the rallies which are planned to be organized by Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot trade unions both in the free and the occupied part of Nicosia and about the measures the occupation regime is going to take, Mr Eroglu said that there would definitely be some measures and alleged that the measures will be taken "because it is not normal for foreigners who come from the South to make rallies in the TRNC". Asked what kind of measures the authorities of the puppet regime will take, Mr Eroglu said only "you will see".

[05] Serdar Denktas alleges that the limited free movement will bring the solution in Cyprus

Talking in Antalya he reiterated his opinion that the Annan plan is now only a document for reference and added: "Discussing this plan to reach somewhere means that you are keeping yourself busy with trifles. There is only one reality: Reaching a solution in Cyprus is not possible with plans imposed from outside".

/SK

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