TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA (Cyprus PIO review) 95-12-14

From: Panayiotis Zaphiris <pzaphiri@Glue.umd.edu>

Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Directory

TURKISH PRESS

AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 235/95 14/12/95

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Atun favours integrtion

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (1130 hours, 13/12/95), the so-called Prime Minister of the pseudostate Hakki Atun has declared that the Turkish Cypriots constitute a part of the Turkish nation and that the ploys planned for Cyprus reinforce the view in favour of integration between the pseudostate and Turkey.

Atun had a meeting with Cevdet Cengiz, assistant Under Secretary of the Turkish National Education Ministry, and the delegation accompanying him. Cengiz briefed Atun on the work concerning the protocol for the forestation of the Trapeza Mountains. He also informed Atun that work is continuing to supply the pseudostate with teachers, teacher lodgings, books, and educational material.

Alleging that political tactics are being applied on Cyprus, Atun claimed that there are attepmts to revert the Turkish Cypriots to the period prior to 1963. He said: "If they try to impose the wishes of the south on us by means of the EU, then the integration, which has always existed with Turkey, will become official". Atun added that the pseudostate will never be relinguished, adding that those who serve the Turkish Cypriots are receiving higher education at the expense of Turkey and that this is a kind of integration.

[02] Denktash on rejection of his proposals by the National Council

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (1630 hours, 13/12/95), Rauf Denktash has stated that all concerned parties should considerate and assess the Greek Cypriot rejection of the latest Turkish Cypriot proposals on the Cyprus issue.

In a statement yesterday, Denktash claimed that President Clerides told to all the diplomats he met: Even though I stated that I accepted Turkish Cypriot sovereignty, equality, a rotational presidency, and a consensus on the ministerial level in the event that a federation is established, and Denktash accepted this federation to become a member of EU, Denktash refused this idea. Denktash added that Richard Beattie met with him after meeting with President Clerides and said that Beattie wrote down the conditions he knew would be acceptable to Clerides. He further added that the issue of Turkey's guarantee constitutes the main issue emphasized by the Turkish Cypriot side.

Stating that they consider the rejection by the Greek Cypriot National Council as an outcome of the influence of the Greek Cypriot side's rejectionist front, as the called it, he further claimed that this rejectionist front prevents President's Clerides from achieving a reasonable course on this issue.

"All the concerned sides, if they are interested in Clerides adopting a conciliatory approach, should tell him and those around him that they are not the legitimate government of the Turkish Cypriots nor of the whole of Cyprus and that they cannot become members of the EU without reaching an agreement first", Denktash said.

He added that he wil ask the "government" to convene the so- called Assembly on 25 December after the Greek Cypriot National Council meeting, which will he held on 23 December.

[03] Turkey - EU customs union approved

All of today's (14/12/95) Turkish Cypriot newspapers report on yesterday's vote by the European Parliament approving Turkey's customs union with the European Union.