Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-01-27

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TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No.17/97 27/1/97

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Agriculture Agreement signed with Turkish Cypriots

[02] Demirel receives Turkish Cypriot delegation

[03] Turkish Frigate and Gunboats in the occupied part of Famagusta

[04] Atun meets with Ecevit, Baykal, State Minister Gul

[05] Etkin: Varosha will be opened if missiles deployed

[06] German Court accuses Turkish Government and Ciller of sheltering international drug smugglers

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Agriculture Agreement signed with Turkish Cypriots

Musa Demirci, Turkish agriculture and village affairs minister, and Kenan Akin, so-called agriculture and forestry minister, signed the agreement.

According to the agreement Turkey and the pseudostate agreed to cooperate in the fields of vegetable production, plant conservation, livestock, animal health, fishing, irrigation, food industry, and village affairs. The agreement further envisages setting up an agriculture management committee to handle agricultural cooperation.

In a statement following the signing ceremony, Demirci said agricultural integration was secured between Turkey and the pseudostate with the signing of the agreement.

[02] Demirel receives Turkish Cypriot delegation

During his address at the meeting, Demirel said that Denktash told him during a telephone conversation that the morale and enthusiasm of the Turkish Cypriots been renewed in the wake of his visit to Ankara. Stating that his kinsmen in Cyprus have no reason whatsoever to have any security concerns, Demirel added:"In terms of security, Turkey considers Antalya, Edirne, Hakkari and Kars the same as Cyprus".

Atun and his accompanying delegation later met with the members of the Council of Europe (COE) Parliamentary Assembly Turkish group.

Ismail Cem, chairman of the COE Turkish group, said that the draft proposal to be taken ua at the COE Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Strasbourg next week will be discussed at the meeting. Cem claimed that the atmoshpere , which reigns in the world today, makes it difficult for the Turkish Cypriot community to find support for its "just" approaches. Cem explained that efforts will be exerted with the so-called parliamentary delegation of the pseudostate to rectify this state of affairs and to convey the Turkish Cypriot views and ideas in the best way.

[03] Turkish Frigate and Gunboats in the occupied part of Famagusta

Addressing a ceremony, Taner Etkin, so-called Foreign Affairs and Defense Minister, claimed that the warships called on the island in a bit to extend an invitation to peace and common sense to all those who issue threats and not as a threat of war. Etkin added: "In this way, it has been stressed that Turkey will never give up the support and security it extends to the Turkish Cypriot people".

[04] Atun meets with Ecevit, Baykal, State Minister Gul

Ecevit claimed that peace reigned on the island since 1974. He also alleged that the Russians took advantage and courage from the negligence displayed by the Western countries in order to sell weapons to the Greek Cypriots.

Atun also visited Republican People's Party leader Deniz Baykal. Noting that it would be a mistake to assess the Cyprus situation from a military and strategic viewpoint only, Baykal said that the issue in question was a political structure in which both communities can pursue their human and "national" rights. Baykal claimed that it is impossible for the Cyprus Government to become an EU member before a conciliation is secured between the two communities.

Atun and his accompanying delegation later visited State Minister Abdullah Gul and conferred with him for some time. Gul said: "Only one voice is heard in Turkey when the issue under consideration is the security of the TRNC. This unanimous voice encompasses all the political parties regardless of the government and the party. There is a unity of views on this issue. This is a national cause".

Gul concluded his remarks by saying that cooperation in the fields of tourism, culture and education is envisaged with the pseudostate and added that the "TRNC" will be transformed into an island of education.

[05] Etkin : Varosha will be opened if missiles deployed

To a question put to hum through telephone by a so-called member of the Famagusta Mayoral Council, whether Varosha will be opened or not, Etkin said:"President Denktash made a stetement about 13 days ago. Meanwhile, the declaration carried a paragraph that fully supported the views that were outlined in the statement. President Denktash clearly explained the Maras problem. The area will be integrated for economic purposes if the Greek Cypriots deploy missiles on the island. In other words, it will be opened. That is what has been said.

So, that is a measure that will be taken if the Greek Cypriots fail to rescind their decision to acquire missiles. The declaration has outlined that such a measure has to be taken and will be taken. So, we call for a little patience. We will wait and see."

To a comment by journalist Akay Cemal that when he recently met with Government Spokesman Yiannakis Cassoulides, the latter said that Cyprus needs water more than missiles, Etkin said that water will be brought from Turkey and when asked if the turkish side will use the question of water supply in the talks he said:" The problem is unavoidable. We have said that Turkey has rich water resources. The necessary work has been carried ourt and projects have been drawn up. They will be put into effect in a very short time".

[06] German Court accuses Turkish Government and Ciller of sheltering international drug smugglers

Interior Minister Meral Aksener announced on Thursday that the Turkish government had looked into the issue thoroughly and found that neither the Turkish government nor Ciller had been implicated during the drug smuggling case heard in the Frankfurt Federal Court.

Veteran leftist politician Bulent Ecevit said that claims by a German judge that True Path Party (DYP) chairwoman Tansu Ciller was sanctioning international narcotics smugglers had undoubtedly been induced by some of Ciller's own public statements.

Speaking at the parliamentary group meeting of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) on Thursday, Ecevit said, "If a minister or politician publicly portrays narcotics smugglers, who are also known to be on the state payroll for illegal armed activity, as national heroes, then he or she should be ready to face serious allegations from abroad".

Referring to Abdullah Catli the ill-famed right-wing militant killed in the infamous Susurluk accident, Ciller had said that all those who had fired guns for the well-being of the state were honorable people.

Ecevit demanded an investigation into the claims of the German judge to see if they were based on conrete evidence or the unfounded testimony of drug smugglers brought to trial.

He said the people wanted to know if the German court had been contacted by Turkish authorities to obtain the relevant documents pertaining to the case, and asked the Parliamentary commission investigating the Susurluk incident to pursue the allegations.

The Susurluk commission meeting decided to look into the German court's allegations. The DSP charman said the Susurluk incident and the unflolding events played into the hands of those who wanted to mar Turkey's reputation and added: "Even if Ciller's primary motivation is to clear her own name, the duty to clear Turkey's name belongs to all of us".

Ecevit remarked that it was wholly unjust to indict the whole country for the actions of a few but pointed out it was getting harder to defend the state as more and more security officials were proven to be collaborating with drug traffickers.

A similar statement came from the main opposition Motherland Party (ANAP).

General Secretary Yasar Okuyan said German courts had made three other claims during the past year indicating that the Turkish gevernment was involved in illegal narcotics trade.

"The pertinent documents for these claims must be investigated. If the allegations are proved false then Turkey must react very strongly and if they are found true then the government must resign and the female minister in question (Ciller) must give up politics", said Okuyan. EF/MY/YH