Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-03-30

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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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] "Presidential candidates" air views.

[02] "Presidential candidates" detail stand on Cyprus.

[03] Increased US pressure for substantial talks.

[04] Blomberg on Cyprus EU accession.

[05] Blomberg meets Akinci and Talat.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] "Presidential candidates" air views

"The Turkish and Greek Cypriots should decide on the future of Cyprus. We are the owners of this island", he said.

Noting that he would never accept an external intervention and Turkey would give up intervening if he was elected as the "president", Tahsin said, "soldiers will withdraw to their camps till the agreement is reached. Interests of Turkish Cypriots will come first."

Defending that Cyprus couldn/t be a national issue for Turkey and Greece, Tahsin said, "if they say so, then they have an eye on Cyprus territories".

Defining the Turkish side/s official thesis of confederation proposal as the "continuation of the current situation", Tahsin defended that the solution was federation.

Noting that solution could be found immediately if there was the desire, Tahsin said he was against proximity talks.

Meanwhile, two independent candidates Sener Levent, a journalist-author and the owner of Avrupa newspaper; and Turgut Afsaroglu, a columnist in Avrupa newspaper, are defining themselves as a "team which is in favour of civilianizaiton".

These two independent candidates say that they were not fighting with Denktash, but they were fighting against regime.

Sener Levent said, "the power, military, and civil administrations have been calling me traitor since I founded this newspaper. I became a candidate to know how many traitors are there like me".

"If Arif Hasan Tahsin had become an independent candidate or YBH had extended external support to him, we would not have run for the President. However, he is the candidate of YBH and he is a member of YBH", he said.

Defending that Ankara/s attitude would have an influence over election results, Sener Levent said, "if there will not be an external intervention, the candidate of National Unity Party (UBP) will win the elections. Mr. Rauf Denktash and Mr. Derivs Eroglu will compete in the second round".

"The best option in front of us is that Turkish Cypriots should attend the EU membership negotiations having equal rights with the Greek Cypriots. Cyprus should enter the EU as a whole whether or not there will be a solution", he added.

Turgut Afsaroglu said he would support Denktash if the "elections" were brought to second round.

Noting that the votes they would win would be the "votes against the system", Afsaroglu said the process of preparation to the EU should start immediately, and the adaptation works should be completed before the solution.

Ayhan Faiz Kaymak, another independent "candidate", defended that there couldn/t be a solution as long as Denktash, who considered non solution as solution, lived and said that the "TRNC, which is administered like a tribe, is far from preparing itself to EU."

Kaymak added that he expected Denktash to win the "elections".

[02] "Presidential candidates" detail stand on Cyprus

Eroglu noted that they were faithful to the proposal based on the principle of "two states". Pointing out that they would launch initiatives for an agreement envisaging sovereignty, political equality, and Turkey/s active and de facto guarantorship, Eroglu promised the Turkish Cypriots to form a "national council".

Accusing Rauf Denktash of being reluctant and acting with the mentality of single statesman, Eroglu noted, "he has skipped the parliament. He has also broken off dialogue with the government. He should be replaced. The world should see our democracy."

Mustafa Akinci, the leader of the Communal Liberation Party, using the slogan of "Towards Solution, Right Election", promised the Turkish Cypriots to solve the Cyprus question and to make the "TRNC" a full member of the EU.

Akinci stressed, "Cyprus is heading towards the solution. Will it be a confederation or a federation? Names are not important. The important thing is that there is a state in Northern Cyprus. The solution is two states inside, single international representation outside".

Akinci said, "we should develop an EU perspective as heading towards a solution. We should start harmonization works with the EU because our future lies in the EU. Following the solution, Cyprus should become a member of the EU as a whole".

He added, "it will be a surprise if the presidential elections end in the first round. President Denktash cannot achieve the same success in 1995 this time. I will try to get the best result in the elections".

Mehmet Ali Talat, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), said, "second round of elections will be held and I will vie with Denktash for the presidency".

Talat claimed, "none of the candidates will get the required votes in the first round of the elections. In the second round, I will compete with President Denktash. The election race will be run between Denktash who is contrary to the solution, and the CTP which defends the solution under the most difficult conditions. Those saying that they wanted a solution, are not sincere. Statements of Denktash and Eroglu are nothing but tricks".

Promising the Turkish Cypriots peace, solution and the EU membership, Talat said, "the Turkish Cypriots should join the EU process. There isn/t any other way. It will be a big shame if the Turkish Cypriots are excluded from the process as the Greek Cypriots are preparing for the EU membership."

[03] Increased US pressure for substantial talks

Quoting diplomatic sources, KIBRIS/s correspondent reports that during the third round of talks USA President Bill Clinton/s special envoy Alfred Moses and British Special Envoy Sir David Hannay will be more active than they were in the past and it is possible that in order to speed up the path leading to a settlement they will submit, through the UN, "concrete proposals" to the sides.

Quoting UN circles, KIBRIS correspondent says that the UN wants the sides to come to the third round with their homework done regarding the core issues. She also reports that the third round of talks which will start on 23 May might extend until the middle of June and following a short recess, the fourth round will start in early July.

(MY)

[04] Blomberg on Cyprus EU accession

Referring to the Cyprus problem and the EU membership process, Blomberg wished that "once Cyprus/s accession process is completed, the Cyprus problem will be settled".

He went on and said that EU member countries as well as the EU commission should work together and should prepare both sides for the EU. He added that Cyprus could be EU member as a whole.

He said, "this will not came easily, however. But it is possible to realize".

When the so-called TRNC under secretary Osman Ertug referred to the so- called embargo imposed on the Turkish Cypriots, Blomberg noted that the so- called embargo was the result of the "division" on the island.

Ertug again intervened and alleged that the "embargo" was imposed since 1963. Following Ertug/s intervention Blomberg "corrected" his word "division" and spoke about "disagreement".

[05] Blomberg meets Akinci and Talat

Finland/s Special Cyprus Representative Jaakko Blomberg had separate meetings with Mustafa Akinci and Republican Turkish Party (RTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat.

Communal Liberation Party leader Akinci said that if the Cyprus problem is settled then there is no need to wait for Turkey/s accession to EU for Cyprus/s full membership.

He said that if a settlement is not reached and one side becomes an EU member then the division of the island would be encouraged and consolidated.

Akinci further noted that his party sees the EU not only as an economic cooperation field but as a political and cultural union. He concluded by saying that they share the same values with EU, that they aim at bringing peace to the region.

(MY)

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

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