Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 99-02-04

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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. 19/99 -- 4.2.99

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Cem on relations with Syria, Cyprus, Ocalan.

[02] Turkey shelves EU full membership bid.

[03] Bulgarian ``refugees'' meet Denktash.

[04] Kotak dismissed from post of illegal BRT director.

[05] Denktash wants Turkish football teams to play with Turkish Cypriot teams with FIFA´s permission.

[06] Ertugruloglu defends confederation proposal.

[07] Joschka Fischer on Cyprus: ``We will consider all opportunities''

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Cem on relations with Syria, Cyprus, Ocalan

Responding to the questions of journalists, Cem said Turkey did what was required on issues which were covered by the media persistently. Cem said, ``the question for us is that the persons who claimed lives of this much people is a fugitive at the moment and that he will account for his crimes sooner or later.''

Cem said they were not engaged in only a fugitive from the daylight until the dark, adding that ``we are in an effort to improve Turkey´s interests in every field.''

Cem said it was important for Turkey that exclusion of terrorism policy, carried out jointly together with Syria, was in a successful line, adding that ``the important thing is to render ineffective terrorism mechanisms. This process started following the Adana agreement. It cannot be said this improved very well, yet serious steps could be taken.''

Cem popinted out that the issue of terrorism, with the serious studies of the Foreign Ministry, was conveyed to the Western Europe public opinion, adding that concrete steps could be taken to this end.

Noting that the Foreign Ministry has many issues to take up, Cem said, ``we are interested in Northern Iraq at the moment. We are in an effort to improve relations with Western Europe countries. There is a great potential to improve economic relations with Japan and we are interested in political infrastructure of these economic relations.''

Cem pointed out that studies were made on the Cyprus issue for the year 1999, adding that preparations were made to bring the issues in which Turkey is correct to the international platform.

Noting that they have developed a plan on relations with Turkish Republics in Central Asia, Cem said studies to this end will further be improved.

Cem also said Dimitrios Nezeritis, Greece´s Ambassador to Ankara, went to the Foreign Ministry that morning and paid a farewell visit.

[02] Turkey shelves EU full membership bid

The Strategist, published by the Turkish Daily News, says the EU´s expected insistence for Turkish concessions regarding the Kurdish issue and the Cyprus problem in the event of Turkey´s official candidacy for full membership have prompted Ankara to radically change its EU policies.

The Strategist is a bimonthly report prepared by a group of scholars, journalists and analysts on Turkey´s politics, economics, foreign relations, energy and defense matters. The publication provides incisive analysis on top agenda subjects with projections for the next two months.

On Iraq, the Strategist predicts that despite Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit´s reluctance to aid US policies seeking to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Ankara would continue to let American warplanes hit Baghdad´s defense systems in north Iraq. Amid its isolation from Europe, Turkey has no option and should keep in line with Washington, the country´s only connection to the Western world, it said. The publication also claims some anti-Baghdad groups have already agreed to create an army to topple the Iraqi regime.

The Strategist says despite optimism in Ankara the construction of the Baku- Ceyhan pipeline as the main export route for Caspian oil depends on finding sufficient oil to fill the pipeline and financial support. It puts the threshold of oil production at 20 million tons to make Baku-Ceyhan commercially viable. But the alternative route through the Turkish straits, has even slimmer chances of success. ``Either the bulk of Caspian oil will flow through Turkey, or it will not flow at all through our straits'', The Strategist quotes an official as saying.

[03] Bulgarian ``refugees'' meet Denktash

After the meeting Denktash said that Bulgarian ``refugees'' face important humanitarian problems.

He said they were unable to contact their families in Bulgaria, and they were facing work-permit problems despite the decision taken to solve this problem. Denktash said that the said decisions were not put in force. The chairman of the so-called association, Kursat Dunki, said that efforts are being made to solve their problems but they wre not kept informed about the work being carried out. Dunki said that among the problems are settlement and citizenship issues. (MY)

[04] Kotak dismissed from post of illegal BRT director

Kotak had been appointed director of illegal BRTK on 20 November 1996. (MY)

[05] Denktash wants Turkish football teams to play with Turkish Cypriot teams with FIFA´s permission

Speaking to officials of the Turkish second division football team Zeytinburnu, who are in the occupied area preparing the team for the second leg of the league, Denktash said that, on condition that they secure permission from the FIFA, they could play with teams which are not FIFA members.

Denktash said that he does not think that if such an application was made to FIFA, FIFA would reject it. Denktash further said that since the deputy chairman of the UEFA is a Turk this arrangement will be easy to achieve. (MY)

[06] Ertugruloglu defends confederation proposal

He also defended Denktash´s confederation proposal. (MY)

[07] Joschka Fischer on Cyprus: ``We will consider all opportunities''

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

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