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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-09-18Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIANo. 173/97 -- 18.9.97[A] NEWS ITEMS
[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS
[A] NEWS ITEMS[01] Denktash ordered to rest four days for local vein infectionAccording to illegal Bayrak radio (10:30 hours, 17.9.97), Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has canceled his appointments for the next four days because of a local vein infection in his left leg. In a statement he issued yesterday Denktash's physician Sait Kenan announced that Denktash has been ordered to rest.Meanwhile, the meeting that was scheduled for today 18.9.97 between Denktash and Gustave Feissel, UN Secretary General's assistant special envoy for Cyprus, has been canceled. Dr. Kenan remarked that a consultation revealed that the improvement in Denktash vein is not at the desired level. [02] Denktash: Security talks not to include demilitarizationAccording to illegal Bayrak radio (10:30 hours, 17.9.97) Rauf Denktash said it was announced that the questions of the demilitarization of the island and troop reduction will not be discussed during his meeting with President Glafcos Clerides.In reply to a question on the subject, Denktash claimed that the Greek Cypriots started engaging in propaganda against the Turkish Cypriot side by channeling the course of events in their own direction, with regard to the meeting on security issues, as they do in all other issues. Denktash said that Thomas Miller, US special representative for Cyprus, stated that political issues or subjects like the missiles, demilitarization, and troop reduction will not be raised during the upcoming meetings. Denktash recalled that it was suggested that these meetings begin with small steps. He added that everyone is well aware of the Turkish Cypriot views with regard to attitudes that could cast a shadow over the guarantees and the guarantee system. Denktash also said that the UN assistant special envoy to Cyprus also reported to him that President Clerides is ready to sign a nonbelligerency agreement, and that he could at least discuss this matter with the Turkish Cypriot leader. [03] Turkish Military Commanders' meetings over S-300 missilesAccording to YENI YUZYIL (16.9.97), Chief of the General Staff General Ismail Hakki Karadayi, Land Forces Commander General Huseyin Kivrikoglu, Marine Forces Commander Admiral Salim Dervisoglu, Air Forces Commander General Ilhan Kilic, and Gendarmerie General Command General Fikret Boztepe would meet for two days in a row at the General Staff Headquarters. The meetings were to be held last Tuesday and yesterday afternoon. While no information was received about the agenda, it has been learned that the General Staff Operations Office would give a briefing that would take the form of preparation for the missile briefing to be given to the government in the days to come. The meeting, which, besides the S-300 missiles the Greek Cypriot side has bought from Russia, will also discuss the "missile threat" from Iraq, Iran, Armenia, and, in particular, Syria, was planned to be held last week, but was postponed to this week. The Office of the General Staff had started its work regarding the continuously decreasing missile circle long ago and has long been following the developments of the working group regarding the issue.Meanwhile according to CUMHURIYET (18.9.97) the General Staff will brief the Government on Turkey's policy on acquisition of arms and the threat created by the S-300 missiles tomorrow, 19.9.97. The Foreign Ministry and the General Staff officials have had a meeting at the Ministry prior to the briefing. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Abel said views were exchanged during the convocation. Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, Deputy Under Secretary Korkmaz Haktanir, General Cevik Bir, second in command of the General Staff, and other military officials attended the convocation. Replying to a question during his weekly press conference, Omer Akbel said views were exchanged with the military officials on foreign policy issues that have a military aspect and noted that the close cooperation between the two sides will be maintained. The meetings held at the General Staff focused on the information and assessments compiled by the "Trust Work Group" which has been established to work on the Cyprus problem, and the work group, which has been established to follow the developments related to the missile crisis. [04] Turkish Cypriot party welcomes Clerides-Denktash meetingAccording to illegal Bayrak radio (15:30 hours, 17.9.97) the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) has announced that it welcomes the forthcoming meeting to be held between the leaders of the two communities to discuss security issues. Ozkan Yorgancioglu, the CTP press secretary, issued a statement saying that his party supports the decision made toward resuming the talks. He called on the leaders to be constructive in a bid to achieve progress in the talks. Expressing the belief that the solution of problems is possible through a dialogue, Yorgancioglu said that the initiatives to be taken by the two leaders to resume the talks will reduce the effect of outside factors and lead to speedy solutions.[05] Turkey welcomes Clerides-Denktash meeting on CBMsAccording to TRT (9:00 hours, 18.9.97) Turkey has stated that it welcomes the announcement made by the two leaders in Cyprus that they will get together to discuss the military confidence-building measures (CBM) that might be taken in the buffer zone. The statement issued by the Foreign Ministry stressed that the measures in question have nothing to do with the guarantee and security issues that are included in the comprehensive negotiations process. The statement added that the CBM's incorporate certain military measures that might eliminate the danger of undesirable incidents occurring in the buffer zone. The statement concluded by saying that an agreement to be reached on the issue will contribute to maintaining the stability on the island.[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS[06] Columnist: Turkey's reply to the S-300 missiles lies in its attempt to construct naval and air bases in the pseudostateBilal Cetin, writing in YENI YUZYIL (17.9.97) under the title "Joint Naval and Air Bases with the TRNC", says that Turkey's foreign policy does not change with the governments, the main line is sustained, but differences in style may, at times, generate certain strategic changes.The issue in question is not a general change of or deviation from the main axis trend, but with the new government and the Ecevit-Ismail Cem duo beginning to put their stamp on foreign policy, one can again begin to detect certain definite differences of style, Cetin says. And continues: "Our foreign policy is beginning to display certain changes in some very important fundamental stands on the EU and Customs Union issues, the Cyprus and Aegean problems, and the ties with Greece. The fundamental difference that we will be observing more clearly in the coming days is probably the following: From now on, Turkey will no longer use phrases such as `we will hit, we will break, we will bomb', especially with regard to its relations with Greece and the Cyprus issue. It will abandon the vocabulary of threats. If it has the power, it will exercise it. It will announce its strengths and intentions, but it will not engage in propaganda. In other words, Turkey will not advertise the acts of which it is capable; it will do whatever is necessary whenever necessary. We will be able to observe this approach in the context of the Cyprus issue in the coming days. For example, the government that talked about `economic integration' will probably not retract from that position and will implement this project step by step. Meanwhile, if negotiations on the full EU membership of south Cyprus begin, different reactions and arrangements may naturally be included on the agenda, in addition to the economic integration process. The S-300 missiles is another issue.... Stand and acts that may portray south Cyprus as the victim and Turkey as the aggressor with regard to this issue will be avoided. In other words, the phrase `we shall hit' frequently used by the previous government will be abandoned. Will Turkey keep silent in the face of the missiles? It will definitely not, but the style will change. Working in full harmony, the General Staff and the Foreign Ministry are in the process of drafting a new strategy. According to this strategy, every possible diplomatic initiative will be undertaken to prevent the deployment of the missiles in south Cyprus, and efforts will be made to prevent the passage of the missiles from the straits. What if, despite everything, the missiles are deployed in south Cyprus? Action is being taken now before the issue goes that far. Plans are already being made on the island to launch various additional initiatives against the missiles, while the bargaining offered by the Greek Cypriot sector `for a conciliation on the basis of the Turkish troops being withdrawn in exchange for their abandonment of the missile project' is being ignored. As the first step, work on the establishment of a joint naval base in north Cyprus is being stepped up. In parallel, the project involving the deployment of Turkish fighter jets immediately adjacent to the green line through the construction of an air base is being considered. In other words, Turkey's reply to the Greek Cypriots who have been saying that `the Turkish troops should withdraw from the island in exchange for the S-300 missiles' lies in its attempt to construct naval and air bases. In short, Turkey will convey the message that every step to be taken by the other side will be responded to in kind, and the verb `to hit' will no longer be pronounced." 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 |
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