Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 99-06-22

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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. 107/99 -- 22.6.99

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash sets preconditions for negotiations.

[02] NET Holding withdrawing from pseudostate.

[03] Eroglu: G-8 decision not binding on Turkish Cypriots.

[04] Demirel on Cyprus.

[05] Denktash says G-8 resolutions to lead to impasse.

[06] Turkish Ministry rejects intervention in Cyprus issue.

[07] Ecevit on G-8 decision on Cyprus.

[08] Party leaders react to G-8 resolution on Cyprus.

[09] French government initially denies visas to Turkish Cypriot ``delegation''.

[10] Albanian party leader arrives.

[11] Turkey considers ``retaliation'' against G-8 resolution.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[12] Sener Levent blasts Ecevit for his statement on `tranquillity´.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash sets preconditions for negotiations

``Answer: A sounding out is being carried out. Clerides says: `I will sit around the negotiation table´. The reason is that he knows under what conditions we will sit down and talk face to face, and he knows that these conditions have yet to come into existence. He calculates that since the conditions are yet to be attained and that under these conditions we will refuse to sit around the negotiation table, he will then try to promote us to the world as being intransigent. This is what he calculates, what he is planning''.

And Denktash adds: ``Our conditions for sitting around the negotiation table are very simple. These conditions have been accepted by the government, and announced to the world. Through agreements signed between Turkey and the TRNC these conditions have been registered. We have said we speak state to state. We speak confederation. Therefore, what Clerides will discuss when he says `I will go to the negotiation table´, he has to say what it is. If he will discuss confederation than we will go as well. If he says I will sit around the negotiation table without preconditions then he has to remove the main precondition which is an obstacle to the negotiations and to the success of the negotiations. That main precondition is: their claim of being the government of the whole of Cyprus.

Regarding the territorial issue Denktash said: ``In order to discuss the territorial issue, the state has to be recognized and accepted, because to discuss the territorial issue without recognizing the state is tantamount to discussing municipal boundaries with a side which says that `Everything and the whole of Cyprus is mine, sovereignty is mine´. We cannot accept such an approach. We can discuss territory, when the two states are recognized.''

To a question about the Americans allegedly preparing plans behind the scenes, Denktash replied: ``I have no information. Americans as well continuously deny this. In the Greek Cypriot side there have been reports that three kinds of maps have been drawn. They say that Denktash insists on 29 plus. Where do they find this? The 29 plus was a figure put forward years ago. When it was rejected I had declared to the world immediately that it is no longer on the negotiation table. There exists no 29 plus. They should not dream about this. There is no such thing. We are the owners of the 32% in Cyprus. 32 percent. Therefore, there is no need to live in wonderland. They say Americans have prepared maps. They can do so. At times the British had told us at the London Conference that they had several maps ready. Turkey as well had told as that several maps had been drawn. Nothing will change. Unless the Greek Cypriots accept the TRNC nothing will change.'' (MY)

[02] NET Holding withdrawing from pseudostate

The paper reports that Net Holding´s Zefiros hotel, which was renamed as Crystal Cave hotel and had been bought from Asil Nadir, has been sold to a British Company.

[03] Eroglu: G-8 decision not binding on Turkish Cypriots

Rauf Denktash met with Eroglu and Mustafa Akinci for their weekly routine meeting. During the meeting, the participants discussed the G-8 countries´ decision calling on the Cypriot sides to start unconditional talks. In a statement after the meeting, Eroglu said: ``In actual fact, the decision adopted by the G-8 countries is not binding on us, because we do not know under what status we are to sit at the negotiating table''. He remarked:

``Are we again to sit at the negotiating table as community leaders, with one person claiming to be a president and the other a community leader? This is not possible''.

Pointing out that Ann Hercus, UN secretary general´s special envoy for Cyprus, should continue her shuttle diplomacy, Eroglu said that it is more beneficial for talks to start after an agreement is reached to that effect following the conclusion of the infrastructure work and the shuttle diplomacy.

Eroglu stressed that sitting at the negotiating table without preconditions will not yield any results unless the existence of ``two states'' in Cyprus is acknowledged.

Eroglu expressed the view that the shuttle diplomacy must continue and the facts must be brought forward, adding that failing this there will be no benefit in starting the talks.

Akinci, in turn, said: ``Let no one be mistaken into thinking that the Turkish Cypriot people are not in favour of peace and dialogue.'' Akinci pointed out that the ``TRNC'' is in favour of talks that will yield results. He continued: ``One side is considered a state, while the other only a community. This is being perpetuated. We are stressing the error in engaging in a negotiating process that could only lead to new fiascoes.''

Underlining the need to start talks after the necessary infrastructure work has been concluded, Akinci said that the UN Secretary General and Hercus should prepare a serious infrastructure to this end. If the talks are to yield any results, this is what must be done, Akinci remarked.

[04] Demirel on Cyprus

`- 5 -

There are two separate independent states in Cyprus. In my view, it makes sense to recognize these two states. However, the state in south Cyprus is regarded as the state of the whole of Cyprus. There has been a state in north Cyprus for about 15-16 years, and this is being ignored. Nothing can be achieved on the basis of this attitude. According to our thesis, we must discuss how these two independent states can coexist on this island. This is sensible. There is a de facto situation in Cyprus.

I must also declare that the Cyprus issue is a national cause. Our parliament, our people, and our media would definitely not allow any move that could undermine Turkey´s interests, threaten the security of our kinsmen in Cyprus, or damage their interests.''

[05] Denktash says G-8 resolution to lead to impasse

Denktash commented to the press on the final communique issued by the G-8 countries, comprising the seven industrialized countries and Russia. Noting that it is necessary to speak openly, Denktash said the Greek Cypriot thesis is that those who recognize the Greek Cypriots as the legitimate Cyprus government should be included in the Cyprus issue. ``Our thesis, on the other hand, consists of standing firm on the point that the Cyprus problem can be resolved by the two Cypriot peoples and their guarantor motherlands'', Denktash declared.

He stressed that the UN Secretary General can assist in the Cyprus problem within this framework, reiterating that the Turkish Cypriots favour the continuation of his goodwill mission without outside interference. Denktash continued: ``We will enter the negotiating room with equal status. We want our equal status namely the existence of our state to be accepted when we emerge from the negotiating room. This is our right, and no one can deprive us of this right''.

Denktash claimed that both he and President Clerides were elected president, not leader, and added that the confederation proposal is currently on the table. He explained that this implies the acceptance of ``two states'', and if this is indeed accepted he is willing to meet with President Clerides anywhere in the world.

Denktash went on to say that he was asked if he will discuss the territorial issue, to which he responded: ``We will discuss the border issue as well as all other issues, as long as our state-to-state status is accepted and negotiations begin between two states.''

Denktash continued claiming: ``They signed agreements saying we will talk as two honourable governments, from state to state; we will discuss the confederation; and under no condition will we accept the Greek Cypriots as the legitimate government. We are the side that remains loyal to the agreements we signed. The G-8 countries did not even take into account the existence of these agreements.''

Noting that the G-8 countries tasked the secretary general to issue a call to proceed along the old road as though these agreements were never signed, Denktash claimed that this will lead to an impasse.

Furthermore, according to HURRIYET KIBRIS (21.9.99) Denktash further said:

``Only our confederation proposal exists on the table. We will think over (the invitation) if Clerides agrees to discuss this proposal and admits that he is not our government and he never has had such a right. Otherwise, we will not continue playing this meaningless game under the invitation to the `two equal leaders´, a game which has been a waste of time and has only given the Greek Cypriots the opportunity to bolster their claim of being the government. The statement says that the sides have legitimate aspirations and rights. Of course they have. The press is now asking: `Will you not go if you get an invitation?´ We have government and state resolutions adopted on this issue. And these decisions are defended by Turkey, an honourable NATO country. Honourable countries do not renege on their signatures. They do not act as if these signatures do not exist. And, as if such developments have never taken place, the G-8 still calls on us to go to the talks as two leaders. Clerides might have agreed for such a meeting without preconditions, because by attending such meetings he is still regarded as the legal Cyprus government. Whereas, we remain the `Turkish Cypriot community´ heaving under embargoes. Had this not been a bitter fact, one should be laughing and making fun of the side that, under these conditions, would venture to sit at the table without a status.''

And he added claiming: ``We are not two leaders. We are two presidents. We are the presidents of two equal states. We must have the same status both at the table and away from it. The attitude of considering them as `two equal leaders´ at the meeting place but once outside regarding `one of the equals as the government of the others, is a Byzantine game.''

[06] Turkish Ministry rejects intervention in Cyprus issue

The Foreign Ministry statement said that the G-8 countries issued a statement in the end of the Cologne summit concerning Cyprus.

The G-8 demanded that Kofi Annan, the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, should invite the two sides on Cyprus to a meeting in fall 1999, and expressed hope that a solution can be found until the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) summit which will be held in November 1999, the Foreign Ministry statement pointed out.

Alleging that the full membership process to the European Union (EU) which the Greek Cypriot side started by the Luxembourg summit removed all the parameters of solution about Cyprus issue, especially the equality parameter, and that this process deteriorated the Turkish-Greek balance and brought the negotiation process into a deadlock, the statement claims that the Greek Cypriot side ``continues to bring advanced technology weapons, to set up military air and naval bases for Greece, and to carry out its tension policy which aims at supporting the PKK terrorism against Turkey''.

The statement stated that the negotiations which are started in the present distrustful situation, and without the parameters which are based on the realities, cannot be successful.

The statement said, ``within this context, we totally support Denktash´ s proposal of confederation. There are two equal, sovereign, and democratic states which represent the two nations of the island today. A solution to Cyprus question can be a lasting solution only if the balances between the two sovereign states on Cyprus and the balances between Turkey and Greece are protected, not by the intervention of the third parties.''

``To this end, we should not urge the parties to have negotiations, but should determine the reasons why a solution cannot be found, and try to pave the way for an appropriate solution for negotiations which will result in solution. The path for an appropriate solution can be opened only if the existence of TRNC is accepted'', the statement adds.

[07] Ecevit on G-8 decision on Cyprus

When asked whether or not he will attend the celebration for the 25th so- called anniversary of the invasion, Ecevit said that he has not made a plan yet.

[08] Party leaders react to G8 resolution on Cyprus

The general secretary of the Patriotic Unity Movement (PUM) Rasih Keskiner has expressed support for the resolution and said: ``Since the PUM believes that the Cyprus problem is a problem that carries the potential war risk, and that thus it should be settled in a just manner, it considers right the G-8 call and supports it''.

Democratic Party leader Serdar Denktash in his turn criticized the G-8 resolution and declared that ``there was no use for the President to hold negotiations''. He, too, demanded the recognition of the pseudostate. (MY)

[09] French government initially denies visas to Turkish Cypriot ``delegation''

KIBRIS reports that as result of this, the so-called TRNC Assembly delegation was unable to leave the occupied area yesterday.

The paper says that the French government later on removed the restriction it imposed on the ``delegation'', and the ``delegation'' will leave the occupied area today.

KIBRIS reports that Turkish Cypriots have reacted to France´s decision. Opposition ``deputies'' accused the so-called government of not informing the ``Assembly'' regarding this issue.

The paper does not mention the reasons behind the French action. (MY)

[10] Albanian party leader arrives

KIBRIS reports that Bushati´s programme during his stay in the occupied area will be disclosed later on.

(MY)

[11] Turkey considers ``retaliation'' against G-8 resolution

With this visit, RADIKAL says Turkey will convey the message that it will definitely not accept any formula that does not envisage a solution on the ``two state'' basis.

RADIKAL further adds that during the high level visit in July, Turkey will issue a declaration which will be an answer to the G-8 declaration. In the declaration it will be stressed that the Turkish side will not accept any proposal for direct talks that does not take into account the ``two state'' basis.

In the declaration it will be also stressed that for every step that Cyprus will take the Turkish side will retaliate in kind.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[12] Sener Levent blasts Ecevit for his statement on `tranquillity´

``No, Mr. Ecevit!

You cannot talk like this about us. Even if you are one of our citizens who acquired citizenship after 1974!

You come from Turkey and you live in Turkey.

We are Cypriots and we live in Cyprus. You cannot know whether there is peace and tranquillity here.

We know that.

For this reason you cannot talk about us like this.

You cannot speak to anybody about us and say that `they are content with their life´.

You cannot tell that there is tranquillity here.

Because you are unable to know whether there is tranquillity or not here…

We are the ones who know it…

Mr. Ecevit says: `Tranquillity in Cyprus is making certain circles in the world uneasy…´

Which tranquillity?

If this is tranquillity, then, as one of the Turkish Cypriots, I am too uneasy of this tranquillity. I am uneasy.

of what has happened on this land in the last 25 years

of being a person living in this world without an identity.

living in this world without an identity.

of not having the rights that everybody living on this planet have.

Those rights in fact that you have acquired and I have not.

I am uneasy;

of the fact that we visit each country like fugitives…

of hiding in trains while travelling…

of trying to explain to the customs officials whether I am a Turk from

Turkey or a Cypriot.

I am uneasy.

What is it that you brand as tranquillity?

Is it the passport of your country whose citizens we are not?

Is it the doors that are shut at our face?

Is it the embargoes that you impose on us?

Is it the fact that for years we let the Greek Cypriots get the foreign

assistance and loans?

Is using the Turkish Pound tranquillity?

Is it tranquillity to shut down the antennas of international law so that it does not reach us?

So, Mr. Ecevit there is tranquillity in Cyprus…

We have every right to be curious about it. Where did you look and see that there is tranquillity here?

Did you see it while watching the roulette tables of the hotel you were staying at in Kyrenia?

Did you see it on the land surrounded by barbed wire and with ``Military Area'' signs?

Did you see it on the dead branches of the citrus trees?

Or, did you see it while watching the dying olive trees?

Or, did you see it in the dilapidated towns within the walls?

Did you see it in the lost alleys and alley ways of our childhood?

Did you see it in our youth´s lost twenty four months as soldiers?

Tell us, where did you look and see that there is tranquillity here?

You have left us to make the choice between two evils.

On the one hand we have the fire and on the other we have the abyss.

Either we will accept this order of things or the Greek Cypriots will

devour us in one gulp!

You tell us this!

We have no other choice.

Do we?

We are born once and we die once in this life…

Some die like human beings and some commend their soul before they

are even dead…

In a strange coward manner…

They do not know that commending their soul to a saviour will not save them from death!

We, the miserable children of this liberated land…

Our tongues have turned dry for continuously expressing our gratitude to you…

Where do we find that tranquillity?

If there is tranquillity here, then why is everybody running away to London and Australia? And this country becomes alien to us?'' (MY)

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

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