Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-07-31

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 139/97 -- 31.7.97

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash: Final decision on attending talks to be made 4 August.

[02] Denktash `Inclined' to postpone 2nd round of talks.

[03] Nadir to invest in the GAP.

[04] Turkey's new Cyprus strategy.

[05] FM meets with EU representatives.

[06] A la Turca Baathists and Cyprus.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash: Final decision on attending talks to be made 4 August

The so-called Council of Ministers of the pseudostate convened with a special agenda under the chairmanship of Denktash this morning. It assessed the latest situation in the Cyprus issue for approximately one hour. In a statement in connection with the so-called Council of Ministers meeting, Denktash said that the Turkish side is asking the EU to postpone the membership talks with Cyprus in order to enable the intercommunal talks to continue. Denktash said: "I hope that the EU will begin to consider how effective it is in precluding the Cyprus problem. We say: Postpone the contacts in connection with Cyprus so that the intercommunal talks can continue. Otherwise, the talks will not continue. Clerides says: If the EU postpones these talks, we will not meet with the Turkish Cypriots."

Pointing out that he informed the public about the outcome of his meeting with Clerides on various occasions, Denktash remarked: "All that the Greek Cypriot side wants is for the Greek Cypriots to return to their properties. They state that they will never renounce this right." Denktash noted that the meaning of this assertion should be appraised by the people who have been displaced three times in 30 years. Denktash explained that he approached the matter in a moderate manner at the request and wish of Turkey as well, subsequently giving rise to the Set of Ideas. Denktash stressed that as a result of the contacts he conducted, however, he understood that the Greek Cypriots do not consider a federation incorporating the principles that will save the Turkish Cypriots as part of the Set of Ideas. Denktash added:

"I will discuss the matter again with my colleagues after the meeting I will hold with Clerides. The decision adopted here today is a unanimous one, but we want to review this once again.

We want to see if Clerides will change his position in any way.

Feissel is also coming to meet me this afternoon. Let us see If Feissel will bring any new information. The outcome of the meeting I held with Clerides in Nicosia indicates that no agreement can be reached in any way. I am clearly reiterating this once again. It is beneficial for everyone to know this.

Therefore, I am planning to postpone the party leaders meeting scheduled for this afternoon until the afternoon of 4 August. The government asked me to hold this last contact with Clerides so that we can arrive at a final conclusion. Following tomorrow's meeting, the Council of Ministers will meet on Monday morning and discuss the matter. Another discussion will be held with the party leaders on Monday afternoon. Naturally, we will quickly review this decision with Turkey and reach a final conclusion."

Stressing that no one has the right to deceive the people, Denktash said: "In the eyes of the EU, there is no sovereign people with rights equal to those of the Greek Cypriots. In the eyes of the EU, there is only one legitimate government".

Emphasizing that the Turkish Cypriots cannot relinquish sovereignty, bizonality, and Turkey's guarantee rights, Denktash called on the Greek Cypriot leadership that accepted this fact.

Replying to reporters' questions, Denktash said: "If we are pressured by the EU or any other side, we will take the matter to a referendum."

[02] Denktash `Inclined' to postpone 2nd round of talks

Denktash said that it is not yet clear whether the Turkish Cypriot side will participate in the second round of talks to be held in Switzerland and that tomorrow's meeting constitutes an important opportunity to asses this issue. Denktash's advisers Necati Munir Ertegun and Ergun Olgun and Mustafa Evran, Denktash's political affairs director, were also present at the meeting which lasted an hour and a half.

In a statement prior to the meeting, Denktash said that the Turkish Cypriot side is inclined to postpone the second round of talks to be held in Switzerland until the situation between and the EU is clarified.

In a statement after the meeting, Feissel said he discussed with Denktash many issues pertaining to tomorrow's meeting. Expressing the hope that both leaders will come to Switzerland, Feissel said he hopes that certain results will be achieved on the humanitarian issues to be discussed tomorrow. He said that an assessment on other issues to be raised by the two leaders can be made in tomorrow's meeting.

[03] Nadir to invest in the GAP

CUMHURIYET reports that Nadir is planning to make investments in textile industry in the South East Anatolia Project (known as) GAP amounting between 1 to 3 billion USD. (MY)

[04] Turkey's new Cyprus strategy

The paper says that the plan will be handed over to Richard Holbrooke, by Turkey's State Minister Responsible for Cyprus Affairs, Sukru Gurel who will go to the United States next week and will meet with Holbrooke.

In the United States, the paper reports that Gurel will convey the following message: "We are ready for a conciliation but we are against any pressure".

The basis of this new plan writes HURRIYET is to spread the settlement of the Cyprus problem over a ten year period. The plan, definitely opposes to a settlement envisaged in 1998 and includes the following message: "The EU should give up Cyprus".

The three-stage plan envisages the following:

1: With Turkey's economic assistances economic parity between the "TRNC" and the Greek Cypriot side will be established during the first five years of the plan. One percent of the income tax collected each year in Turkey will be transferred to the TRNC.

With this plan in five years time 70 trillion TL will be mustered. In addition to it 80 million dollars shall be transferred from the defence fund. Attempts shall be made to remove embargoes imposed on the "TRNC".

2: During the second five years the Confidence-Building-Measures package will be put into practice thus securing the rapprochement between the two communities. The Confidence-Building-Measures will be prepared mutually through proposals coming from the sides.

The third stage will be the settlement stage, once economic parity and intercommunal rapprochement is secured. A bizonal, bicommunal federal state will be established where the political equality of the TRNC will be recognized." (MY)

[05] FM meets with EU representatives

At the beginning of this month the EU Commission recommended that the negotiations with Cyprus for membership could commence at the start of 1998, but he did not foresee any plan for the membership of Turkey. After this statement, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that there was a need for Turkey to review the customs union with the EU. The Foreign Ministry is preparing a report on the Customs Union.

[06] A la Turca Baathists and Cyprus

"It seems the talks that have been staged between Rauf Denktash and Glafcos Clerides will continue after their get-together in UN representative Gustave Feissal's house on the island. With this picture, it appears that Bulent Ecevit's recent showy `landing' on the island and the declaration that came out of this are being treated by the international community as if they never took place.

Does this mean Turkey's foreign policy is not being taken seriously? First of all, it is necessary to be able to bring to light what Turkey's foreign policy or Turkey's Cyprus policy is.

If this is not done then the likes of the noisy show of ten days ago may stimulate domestic political heroics but as far as the international community is concerned it is considered as no more than an `annoying buzzing'.

The news is that Ecevit's attitude is being watched with concern by America. But, to use the words of the State Department spokesman, "they did not want to pour fuel on the fire" and therefore are inclined to overlook what is taking place for the moment.

It is not clear what Turkey's Cyprus policy is because since 1974 its official policy has been `a federation made up of two zones and two communities'. A loose federation that is based on geographic and ethnic separation and resembling a confederation. But the `declaration' announced ten days ago in Nicosia does not carry any other meaning than the gradual `annexation' of the Turkish sector of Cyprus by Turkey.

You cannot be on the side of a federation and support `annexation' at the same time.

Especially when there is the `advantage' represented by the fact that Richard Holbrooke has been appointed as America's Special Cyprus Envoy.

Yes, the fact that Holbrooke has this job with this title is to Turkey's and the Turkish Cypriot community's advantage.

Because when Holbrooke took on the job of deputy Undersecretary of State in charge of European affairs he followed a pro-Turkish policy and was the person who declared Turkey as `one of the ten emerging markets in the world.'

Holbrooke is a statesman who knows Turkey's value and because of this one who is inclined to take Turkey's side whenever there is a problem that this country is a party to.

Apart from this he is the architect of the Dayton Accord for Bosnia. One imagines that he is considering a similar format for Cyprus.

As is known, Bosnia will have a single international status, but will be composed of a Bosniac-Croat federation on the one side, and the Republika Srpska, or the Serbian Republic in the Serbian sector on the other.

Apply this to Cyprus: You will see that with a status resembling that of the `Republika Srpska' it is possible to gain the `equal sovereign rights' that Denktash is so insistent on... A TRNC, that is, with special ties to Turkey.

Now, what meaning can there be to derailing a process that is moving in this direction?

`But sir, the European Commission is proposing starting negotiations with (Greek) Cyprus and excluding Turkey's bid for membership'. All right, but where is the surprise in this? Is there any possibility for an `A la Turca Baath regime' to sit down at negotiations with the EU?

As for Cyprus's joining the EU under the formula proposed above, it has advantages, particularly for the Turkish Cypriot community.

But retaining the connection with the EU by means of the customs union, Turkey will also take its place one way or another in the European system this way.

Those who counter this process are the ones who stand by their dear friend Saddam, and who to turn Turkey into an Iraq or a Syria."

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

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article