Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-07-17

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

TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 129/97 -- 17.7.97

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Yilmaz planning EU-Cyprus campaign.

[02] Ecevit vows to `reciprocate' against `unacceptable' steps regarding Cyprus.

[03] Denktash says presence in Geneva depends on EU report.

[04] Demirel pledges no return to pre 1974 situation in Cyprus.

[05] Turkey views EU report as `erroneous', `unperceptive', says partial integration continuing.

[06] Yilmaz: Turkey wants a conciliation in Cyprus.

[07] Folklore festival in the occupied area.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Yilmaz planning EU-Cyprus campaign

Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz recently had a phone conversation with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who is known to be one of the most outspoken proponents of the view that Cyprus cannot join the EU as a member before a settlement is achieved on the island. Yilmaz reportedly conveyed the message that announcing the start of full membership negotiations with Cyprus would have a detrimental effect on the process of resolving the conflict.

The Turkish government will reportedly take certain steps toward integration with the "TRNC" in August, after the European Commission report is made public.

A senior Foreign Ministry official referred to the January 1997 declaration [between Turkey and the "TRNC"] which states that "every step taken by the Greek Cypriot Administration toward full membership in the EU will accelerate the TRNC's integration with Turkey". He said: "We will not fall behind in this declaration. We will not become a country that does not do what it declares. What the declaration envisages will be implemented."

In the meantime, the Turkish government will continue its campaign to prevent Turkey from being left outside the EU's expansion process. Refusing to see the European Commission posture to keep Turkey outside the list of candidate nations as the "end of everything", the government will launch a diplomatic offensive that will last until the Luxembourg summit in December, when the final decision will be made. In the first phase of this campaign, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will go to Brussels next week to attend the EU meeting on the WEU. There he will meet with Hans Van Den Broek, the EU commissioner responsible for foreign policy. It has also been learned that Yilmaz is planning to visit Holland and Belgium before or after his visit to Germany, which will begin on September 30. Stating that the visit to Holland will be for the purpose of "thanking" that country for supporting Turkey, officials said that the Prime Minister's contacts in Belgium will focus on relations with the EU and that he plans to meet with European Commission President Jacques Santer.

Senior officials said that the Yilmaz government will be as resolute as previous Turkish governments about the EU, but that it will drop the insistence expressed during Tansu Ciller's tenure as foreign minister that Turkey be included in the first wave of expansion. Noting that posture was not realistic and had the opposite effect, the officials said that Turkey's short-term objective is to be included in the strategy applied to all candidate countries before accession to the Union.

[02] Ecevit vows to `reciprocate' against `unacceptable' steps regarding Cyprus

"The EU Commission announced its decision to begin the process on the Greek Cypriots administration's full EU membership in the next few months. The Commission is getting prepared to submit this decision to the EU Ministerial Council. The official announcement on the issue will probably be made today.. On the other hand, the EU Commission has prepared a report that can be interpreted as a definite move to close the door of membership to Turkey. Given the situation, the EU has intentionally sabotaged the intercommunal talks that were resumed in New York. It is natural for us to be ill at ease about this. I, however, believe that the UN Secretary- General and the US administration are and will be feeling equally ill at east with regard to this report because their initiative has been sabotaged and hindered. There is no reason why we should be concerned even if this process cannot be halted because Turkey will reciprocate overwhelmingly to every step to be taken on the Cyprus issue that is unacceptable to Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots".

[03] Denktash says presence in Geneva depends on EU report

Indicating that he would first like to study the EU report, Denktash said: "We will see the report. We will reply accordingly. We have to first see this report before making any commitments."

Denktash also said that "the United States' pressure could be felt from the hugeness of the country. In the past the talks have been deadlocked because the United States was recognizing the Greek Cypriots as the legitimate government by following in the wake of the Greek lobby. That is, we are hoping that the new coordinator Holbrooke will take a more serious look at this problem, thoroughly assess the situation in terms of human rights, and help us to put an end to this illegal state of affairs."

Asked if he thinks it was a mere coincidence that the EU report coincided with the Cyprus talks, Denktash said: "This has been done intentionally. They could have postponed it. They could have sweetened and delayed it. Just when we were softening the atmosphere between us, this decision fell like a bomb on the table. Let us first see the decision. We will decide accordingly. For, if that decision has been conveyed to us correctly then we see no benefit in the continuation of the talks."

[04] Demirel pledges no return to pre 1974 situation in Cyprus

Demirel received Nazif Borman, so-called TRNC ambassador to Ankara, at the Cankaya Mansion yesterday. At the meeting, Demirel claimed that peace has been reigning in Cyprus for the last 23 years, adding that "the security of life and property of our kinsmen is one of Turkey's important problems." He alleged that if the reality of the existence of two separate peoples on the island is accepted then the problem can be solved in a short while. Demirel said that the "TRNC" has been isolated in the Mediterranean and that Turkey is doing all in its power to overcome the difficulties caused by this isolation. He stated that so long as the world continues to view the "TRNC" as part of the Greek Cypriot administration a lasting peace cannot be achieved on the island.

"On of the incidents we have witnessed in recent days is that south Cyprus has been invited for negotiations with the EU as though it were the government of the entire island. We would like to also state that this entity is not the Cyprus state. If it is viewed as the Cyprus state then it will be impossible to reach a conclusion at the negotiations that have resumed in New York", Demirel said.

Demirel stated that the Turkish Cypriot side is suffering the consequences of not having reached an agreement in Cyprus for the last 23 years and that the Greek Cypriot side has no complaints on the issue.

He added: "Turkey has a single Cyprus policy one that has been endorsed by the parliament of the Turkish Republic. This policy does not reject conciliation. It is a policy that is in search of a reasonable conciliation. It is one that seeks a viable solution. It should not be an imposed solution".

Demirel said that Turkey can never renounce the security of the "TRNC", adding that the declaration he signed with Denktash proposed a solution in Cyprus. Demirel continued: "Turkey cannot renounce the guarantee system stipulated by the 1959 and 1960 agreements. It cannot renounce the bizonal and bicommunal system based on political equality. There is room for maneuvering within this framework". And he concluded: "Let everyone be assured that there will be no return to the pre 1974 situation.

This is the situation in brief."

[05] Turkey views EU report as `erroneous', `unperceptive', says partial integration continuing

Foreign Ministry spokesman Omer Akbel, speaking at his weekly news conference, claimed that Turkey does not lag behind any of the countries with which the EU Commission report advises to commence full membership negotiations. He said:

"Furthermore, the fact that the mechanisms on the path to full membership that were proposed for the other candidate members, were not proposed in relation to Turkey exhibits a wrong and discriminatory approach. Moreover, according to our initial assessment, the report also contains certain erroneous data on Turkey. Certain wrong and unjust comparisons have also been made between Turkey and the other candidates."

Akbel stated that detailed views on the issue will be determined after the report is officially announced. Noting that Turkey's goals regarding the EU have not changed, Akbel said that Turkey expects the EU Ministerial Council not to heed the Commission's assessments. Upon being reminded that the Cyprus Government is among the countries announced in the Commission report, Akbel said that the timing was most unfortunate. He also replied to questions on the stand Turkey will be adopting in the event progress is made with regard to Cyprus' application for full EU membership. Akbel drew attention to the 20 January declaration signed by President Suleyman Demirel and Rauf Denktash, the joint declaration made on 4 July and the 21 January Assembly decision.

"The main lines of the policy Turkey will be pursuing in the event progress is achieved on Cyprus' EU membership can be clearly observed in these documents. The necessary action will be taken," he said.

Akbel noted that work on the partial integration of the pseudostate with Turkey is continuing. He added that Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem have written letters on the issue to their counterparts in the EU member countries. Akbel said that Bulent Ecevit, deputy prime minister and state minister, will be going to the "TRNC" on 20 July, the anniversary of the invasion adding that Cem and other ministers will be accompanying Ecevit on his one-day visit.

[06] Yilmaz: Turkey wants a conciliation in Cyprus

He stressed that Turkey will support Rauf Denktash till the end.

Yilmaz concluded by saying that the EU issue will be revived once again by protecting Turkey's interests.

[07] Folklore festival in the occupied area

Folklore groups from Turkey, Poland, Georgia, and Skopje are taking part in the festival.

(MY)

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

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