Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-06-29

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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] TURKEY'S CEM SEEKS SUPPORT OF OIC MEMBERS FOR TURKISH CYPRIOTS

[02] TURKISH SPOKESMAN: NO CHANGE IN STAND BASED ON "2 STATES" IN CYPRUS

[03] MOSES URGES SIDES TO REFRAIN FROM EXTREME POLITICS

[04] TURKISH CYPRIOTS RELEASE GREEK CYPRIOT SOLDIER AFTER 20 DAYS IN PRISON

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[05] COLUMNIST URGES DENKTASH TO ATTEND GENEVA TALKS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] TURKEY'S CEM SEEKS SUPPORT OF OIC MEMBERS FOR TURKISH CYPRIOTS

In the section of his speech pertaining to Cyprus, Cem claimed that "the Greek Cypriot mentality which refuses to recognize the equal rights and power of the Turkish Cypriots has still not changed".

Alleging that the Turkish Cypriots are waging a struggle to live in peace and security as the joint owners of the island and that the confederation proposal submitted by the Turkish Cypriot side is currently on the table as the most realistic stand, Cem declared: "I am certain that the OIC members will not withhold their political and economic support from the Turkish Cypriots and they will further develop their relations".

[02] TURKISH SPOKESMAN: NO CHANGE IN STAND BASED ON "2 STATES" IN CYPRUS

Turkey thinks that the solution of the Cyprus question should be based on the principle of "two states".

When reminded about the expectation of Alfred Moses, the U.S. President's Special Representative to Cyprus, for a change in attitude about the Cyprus question, Huseyin Dirioz, the Turkish Foreign Ministry Depurty Spokesman said in a press briefing that the attitude of the Turkish side about the Cyprus question is clear.

Dirioz noted that the view of Turkey and the pseudostate which is based on the principle of "two states" on the island have not changed, and a change in attitude is expected from the other side.

[03] MOSES URGES SIDES TO REFRAIN FROM EXTREME POLITICS

Addressing journalists following the one-hour meeting, Moses said that the meeting had focused on the latest developments prior to the third round of proximity talks scheduled to start on July 5 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Moses noted that they expected to see the sides in Geneva and encouraged them to refrain from exteme policies.

Stressing that they wanted a solution which would be beneficial for both sides, Moses pointed out that the sides should take further steps to reach such a solution.

When recalled that it was not certain yet whether or not Rauf Denktash would attend the third round of proximity talks, Moses said that he expected to see Denktash and President Clerides in Geneva.

When asked whether or not the resolution taken by the United Nations Security Council which drew reaction of the Turkish side, would be changed, Moses noted that the issue would be discussed at the third round of proximity talks and added that they did not consider the resolution as a political decision.

Moses defended that the resolution in question was taken after the sides failed to reach a compromise.

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources said that the meeting had focused on the resolution taken by the United Nations Security Council which extended the mission of U.N. Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until December 15, 2000 with the consent of Cyprus government.

Thomas Weston, the Special Coordinator of the U.S. State Department, and Mark Parris, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, were also in attendance at the meeting.

[04] TURKISH CYPRIOTS RELEASE GREEK CYPRIOT SOLDIER AFTER 20 DAYS IN PRISON

Kasianides spent 20 days in prison.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[05] COLUMNIST URGES DENKTASH TO ATTEND GENEVA TALKS

"Just when the situation in Cyprus had taken a turn to the better and the leader of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) had seized the opportunity of putting his Greek Cypriot counterpart into a difficult position, a hawkish hand has again emerged from somewhere and disrupted everything.

Rauf Denktash declared yesterday, 'I do not know if I am going to the third round talks in Geneva'. The reason for this uncertainty is the terminology used by the UN in connection with the mandate of the UN Peace-Force.

We believe that if there is no other ulterior motive behind this reluctance to go to the talks, then there is an easy way out of the impasse. And here is our view: 'There is no connection between the proximity talks and the UN Peace Force. They are two entirely separate issues. Seeing that the developments are to their detriment, the Greek Cypriots are already trying to evade this round. They even announced it formally. This is an opportunity for us, and therefore the TRNC leader should go the Geneva talks. Let him not take the TRNC Foreign Minister with him (because of Denktash's feud with him since the 'presidential' elections). He is justified in not taking him there. At around the same time, the UN Peace Force's mandate too could be curtailed, if necessary. In this way we would be painting the Greek Cypriots into the corner. Let them agonize on whether or not to attend the talks'.

In the meantime, we have not understood everything that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer tried to explain on the Cyprus problem. Some of his sentences could be interpreted in more than one way. Using such sentences was a mistake. And some were sentences that could only be uttered by the anti- agreement group that has entrenched itself among us. We were therefore both surprised and saddened.

Whereas, President Sezer should have been briefed about the rentier economy in the TRNC and its actual beneficiaries. He should have been made aware of the TRNC's present level of development compared to the level it would have attained with $650 million that flows in from Turkey every year.

It looks as if President Sezer has not done his homework well on the Cyprus issue. Esteemed President, it is not a good idea to listen to one side on the Cyprus problem. The policies propounded by the hawks inside our Foreign Ministry and government has brought, and will bring, no benefit to either Turkey or the TRNC.

Whenever a reasonable and positive development takes place, some mysterious hands emerge with expertise in turning things upside down and before you know it everything has gone topsy-turvy.

Look, even North and South Koreas are taking to each other. Please, we beg you, do not act differently in Cyprus. Esteemed Denktash, come on, it is high time to make an effort.

Rauf Denktash is the only person that could solve the Cyprus problem. Ankara should not impose wrong ideas on him now and then. If Denktash fails to solve this problem during his current presidential tenure, both the TRNC and Turkey will be made to pay a price for it in the future".

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

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