Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 01-04-20

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

[B] T������A �A� T����������A�A �.�.�. TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER

No. 73/01 -- 20.4.01

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Patriotic Union Movement: Cem and Denktash searched for ways of avoiding talks on the Cyprus problem.

[02] Turkish Cypriot politician says that the occupied area is an integral part of Turkey.

[03] KIBRIS newspaper sees great potential for tourism from the free areas.

[04] Mainland ``CUMHURIYET'' sees possible resumption of the efforts towards finding a solution to the Cyprus problem in summer.

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[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Patriotic Union Movement: Cem and Denktash searched for ways of avoiding talks on the Cyprus problem

AVRUPA newspaper (20.4.01) reports that the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Patriotic Union Movement (PUM), Rasih Keskiner, in a written statement yesterday assessed the Turkish Foreign Minister Mr. Ismail Cem/s visit to the occupied areas and the current situation in negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

In the statement Keskiner said that during his visit Cem discussed with Denktash ways of avoiding the talks, in a period when preparations are being made by the UN Secretary-General to start an initiative for the resumption of the talks.

Stressing that during their statements Cem and Denktash tried to divert the attention of the Turkish Cypriots elsewhere instead of saying something about the negotiations on the Cyprus problem, Keskiner added: ``By diverting the attention of the Turkish Cypriots elsewhere they are trying to prevent them from seeing the important developments in the Cyprus problem''.

Finally, Keskiner said that a federal solution and Cyprus/ accession to the EU will benefit not only the two communities of Cyprus but also the people of Greece and Turkey.

[02] Turkish Cypriot politician says that the occupied area is an integral part of Turkey

According to KIBRISLI newspaper (20.4.01) the leader of the Nationalist Justice Party, Zorlu Tore, yesterday met in occupied Nicosia with the so- called Association for the Support of Retired Policemen.

Speaking during the meeting Zorlu Tore said that the pseudostate is an integral part of Turkey and that Turkey should provide the necessary material aid to the Turkish Cypriots.

[03] KIBRIS newspaper sees great potential for tourism from the free areas

According to KIBRIS (20.4.01) although there is an economic crisis in the occupied areas, the face of the pseuodstate smiled due to the tourism potential from the free areas.

The paper reports that during the year 2000 there was an increase of 36% in the number of tourists crossing over to the occupied areas through the Ledra Palace Checkpoint. During the year 2000, 19,088 tourists went to the occupied areas for one day visit, whereas during 1999, the number was 14, 037.

The increase in the number of tourists continued even in the first two months of 2001. There was an increase of 79% as compared to last year/s first two months (January-February).

Most of these tourists were British. During the months of January and February 2001, 678 British, 189 Germans, 169 US citizens, 100 French, 97 Italians, 66 Belgians, 51 Swiss, 48 Irish, 45 Austrians, 45 Finnish, 42 Australians, 41 Dutch 35 Israelis, 33 Canadians, 18 Swedish and 345 of other nationalities crossed over to the occupied areas from the free areas for one day trip, writes KIBRIS.

[04] Mainland ``Cumhuriyet'' sees possible resumption of the efforts towards finding a solution to the Cyprus problem in summer

According to mainland Turkish newspaper ``Cumhuriyet'' (20.04.01), the efforts towards finding a solution to the Cyprus problem may resume after next month 's parliamentary elections in the Republic of Cyprus. The paper writes that after the elections the United States may increase their pressure in this direction.

In an article under the title ``Messages like a memorandum'' which refers to the illegal visit of the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ismail Cem to occupied Cyprus, ``Cumhuriyet'' says: ``It is noted that on the table there is a condition for negotiations in a formula which protects the equal and sovereign rights of the Turkish side, but future suggestions of the UN could also be appraised''.

According to the paper, ``after the Bush administration came to power, meetings are being held between Turkey and TRNC in which a lot of people participate and appraise the situation.'' ``One of the main elements which came up during these appraisals is the necessity for the Bush administration to use its influence again'', adds ``Cumhuriyet'', noting that it would be a positive development for Turkey ``if the US administration could look to the matter in a more neutral way and make the Greek Cypriot administration feel more its influence''.

The paper argues that during his recent visit to the pseudostate Mr. Cem answered to the messages his Greek colleague George Papandreou had sent to the Turkish Cypriots, regarding the European Union. According to the paper Mr. Cem sent the following five messages to the two communities of the island:

[01] He confirmed the importance Turkey attaches to the pseudostate regardless of her economic or other problems and noted that measures would

be taken so that Turkey and the pseudostate could overcome together the problems and the economic crisis. He also underlined that there must be trust between the two sides (Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots).

[02] By meeting the representatives of all the political parties and other organisations in the occupied areas, the Turkish Foreign Minister showed

that Turkey is related not only with the Denktash ``administration'', but also with all the ``institutions'' of which the political life in the pseudostate consists.

[03] Cem strongly stressed the proposal of the Turkish side for creating a confederation on the island and thus showed that this is not a proposal

``made just for the sake of mading it''. During his meetings in the pseudostate Cem discussed what could be done in order to make this proposal more acceptable to the international community. It is noted that the USA have a ``mild approach'' towards the confederation position which has been brought about by Turkey claiming that the two communities on the island cannot live together because of of security problems. Cem has sent the message that the negotiations could resume if there was a formula ``which respects the equal and sovereign rights of the sides''.

[04] Cem answered to the messages which Greece's Foreign Minister George Papandreou had sent to the Turkish Cypriots regarding the EU. He warned the

Greek Cypriots that in the short-term they could have positive results if they became a full EU member, but after that they will have again pain and problems. Turkey had declared that she would proceed towards ``integration'' with the occupied areas in case the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU.

[05] Cem told the EU that new contrasts would be created on the island in case the Union accepted the Greek Cypriots, adding that ``no one should play with

the fire''.

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

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