Compact version |
|
Sunday, 22 December 2024 | ||
|
Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-10-09Cyprus 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. 193/2000 9/10/2000[A] NEWS ITEMS
[A] NEWS ITEMS[01] CEM ON EP RECOMMENDATIONTRT 1 Television (0705 hours 08/10/00) aired a live studio interview with Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. During the interview, Cem was inter alia asked about the recent European Parliament (EP) report on Cyprus. Cem said: "This is the way I assess the issue. I fully agree with Mr Denktash's reaction. The Ministry issued a statement this morning also referring to Mr. Denktash's statement. To begin with, the EP will, for a while longer, continue to adopt erroneous decisions on Turkey or on issues that concern Turkey. We should be aware of this fact". Cem continued to explain the initiatives he had taken with EU officials in order to reverse this trend and the Greek Cypriot reaction to the statement the UN secretary made in favour of the Turkish Cypriots during the proximity talks held in New York. Cem then noted that the EP adopted this report in a bid to balance this development with the help of EP's Poos which Cem described as very close to the Greek Cypriots.[02] YILMAZ ON CYPRUS, TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIPTRT 1 Television (1700 hours 07/10/00) reports that Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz has said that Turkey, as a Mediterranean country, attaches great importance to peace, security, and stability in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.The Mediterranean Security Forum, which lasted for two days in Mallorca, has ended. After the last session of the forum, Yilmaz held a bilateral meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Jose-Maria Aznar. Spain's full support for Turkey's membership in the EU was once again stressed at this meeting. After this meeting, Yilmaz met with media officials and gave information on the Mediterranean Security Forum and his bilateral meeting with Aznar. Yilmaz said that Spain is uneasy about the fact that the EU is expanding only toward eastern Europe and that it attaches great importance to the Union's expansion toward the Mediterranean. Yilmaz also replied to reporters' questions on the various developments concerning the EU and Turkey. He recalled that his government has always been opposed to linking the Cyprus issue to EU membership. He added that including the Cyprus and minorities issues on the agenda in relation to the partnership document would render relations with the EU difficult. [03] TURKEY CLAIMS EP DECISION WILL INCREASE GREEK CYPRIOT "INTRANSIGENCE"TRT 1 Television (1000 hours 06/10/00) reports that Turkey has said that the "European Parliament's [EP] unilateral decision, which concerns the Greek Cypriot accession talks, will increase the Greek Cypriot intransigence even more" and make the work of the UN secretary general more difficult. A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement noted that those who voted in favour of the draft resolution on the issue "prove once again the extent that they are biased on the Cyprus issue and far from the realities". The statement further said that Turkey fully agrees and shares the views and stands of the pseudostate on the issue.[04] Eroglu Calls on EU Executive Organs Not To Support EP Cyprus Report According to illegal Bayrak Radio 1 (1530 hours 05/10/00) so-called primeminister Dervis Eroglu has stated that the Cyprus report prepared by Jacques Poos, former Luxembourg foreign minister and the Cyprus rapporteur of the European Parliament [EP] Foreign Relations Commission, and adopted by the EP on 4 October is totally biased in favour of the Greek Cypriots. Claiming that the report includes unfounded allegations accusing the pseudostate Turkey, Eroglu alleged that the EP, with this report, which is far removed from being balanced and impartial, is, above all, casting a shadow over its own prestige.Eroglu issued a written statement assessing the EP report. He said: "The fact that this unfortunate decision accuses the Turkish Cypriots of not having any goodwill, given the intransigent attitude of the Greek Cypriot side--which has been further indulged and spoiled with the green light the EU gave to the its unilateral membership--and the constructive proposals made so far by the TRNC, clearly indicates that it is biased". Alleging that it is very unfortunately that this report, has been issued at a time when the proximity talks are in progress, Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriot side hopes that the EU executive organs and the EU Council will adopt a more responsible and realistic stand, thus preventing this recommendation decision from becoming an official document , and will not be responsible for the failure of the proximity talks process. Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriots want to believe that the EU executive organs, which they believe is more responsible, will not support this decision, adding that they expect as much from those organs. He continued: "Otherwise, the EU will be recorded in the annals of history as an organisation that has finalised the separation on the island". Eroglu expressed the belief that the governments of EU member countries will not be content with such a result. He added: "We expect the circles that are exerting efforts to advance the UN process to remind the EP of its humanitarian and historical responsibility". [05] ERTUGRULOGLU SAYS EP DECISION UNACCEPTABLE TO "TRNC"Illegal Bayrak Radio 1 (0500 hours 06/10/00) reports that so-called foreign affairs and defence minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu has said that if the recommendation decision the European Parliament EP] adopted on the Cyprus issue is raised to the intergovernmental level, then holding the fifth round proximity talks will be meaningless.Ertugruloglu, who held contacts in New York and Washington in the aftermath of the fourth round proximity talks, returned to the occupied area. Ertugruloglu, who held intense contacts on the Cyprus issue in New York and Washington, made a statement assessing his US contacts and the Cyprus report adopted by the EP. Noting that a basis for meaningful talks could not be founded at the end of the fourth round proximity talks held in New York, Ertugruloglu said that preparations for a basis that envisages the equality of the two sides are continuing. He noted that the fact that the UN secretary general stressed the equality of the two sides on the first day of the fourth round proximity talks was a positive development. Ertugruloglu said that for a lasting solution to be reached in Cyprus the "imbalance" in the status quo of the two sides should be eliminated. He continued: "So long as the Greek Cypriots reject the TRNC, it is impossible to hold direct talks". Referring to the recent EP decision, Ertugruloglu described it as "an act of great insincerity". Claiming that the decision will have an adverse affect on the new Cyprus process, Ertugruloglu added that the EP decision is unacceptable both to the "TRNC" and to Turkey. He said that if the decision is raised to the intergovernmental level, then holding the fifth round proximity talks in Geneva between 1-10 November will be meaningless. [06] HASIPOGLU DESCRIBES EP DECISION AS 'UNFORTUNATE'Illegal Bayrak Radio 1 (0500 hours 06/10/00) reports that Ertugrul Hasipoglu, so-called assembly speaker, has claimed that the accession of the Cyprus Government to the EU will finalise the separation on the island.Hasipoglu described as most unfortunate the recommendation decision adopted by the European Parliament [EP]. Noting that the Cyprus issue concerns the United Nations and not the EU, Hasipoglu claimed that it is wrong for the EU to interfere in the Cyprus issue especially at a time when the proximity talks are in progress. [07] TURKISH CYPRIOT OPPOSITION, LABOUR UNIONS REACT AGAINST ECONOMIC PACKAGEIllegal Bayrak Radio 1 (1030 hours 06/10/00) reports on the effects and repercussions of the adoption of the socio-economic package at the "council of ministers".According to illegal Bayrak, the main opposition Democratic Party [DP] walked out of the so-called assembly last Friday, while all the "deputies" of the Republican Turkish Party [CTP] observed a three-minute silence at the "assembly dais". Addressing the so-called assembly, DP leader Serdar Denktash declared that his party "will struggle against the implementation of the package". The CTP also announced that it will try to obstruct the approval of the "laws" pertaining to the economic package at the "assembly". CTP Secretary General Ferdi Sabit Soyer, speaking at the "assembly", accused the so-called government of "selling the sovereignty of the people for the sake of money" and declared that his party supports the unions' stand on the economic package. Eleven labour unions, in their part, staged a two-hour warning strike last Friday, announcing that this is only a beginning and the actions will continue. [08] PARTY LEADER ACCUSES "GOVERNMENT"KIBRIS (7.10.00) reports that the leader of the National Revival Party (NRP), Enver Emin, has declared that the socio-economic package has to be submitted to referendum.He said that the decision to implement the package does not rest with the so-called coalition government but with the people who will be left to struggle with the problems. In a written statement Enver Emin accused the pseudo government of lacking seriousness and losing its credibility. He said that the pseudo government is bringing the pseudo-state to the verge of bankruptcy. [09] DENKTASH CALLED TO INTERVENE IN BANKING CRISISAccording to YENIDUZEN (9.10.2000) the association of the affected bank depositors in a written statement accused the so-called government of not taking any measures since the beginning of this year regarding the banking crisis.The statement called on Denktash and all the interested sides to work together with Turkey for the settlement of the banking crisis. [10] WOMEN MARCH IN ANKARAKIBRIS (7.10.00) reports that on the occasion of the "World Women Day - 2000" a march was organised in Ankara and some of the Turkish Cypriot women 's organisations took part.During the march, the women called on the world women to unite against poverty, war, violence, sexual harassment and rape. Turkish Cypriot women from KTOS, KTAMS and KTOEOS trade unions took part in the march. [11] RTP PROPOSSED TO JOIN THE "GOVERNMENT"HALKIM SESI (8.10.2000) reports that, with a view to prewriting possible reactions that might lead to the fall of the so-called coalition government over the new economic package, the so-called coalition partners NUP and CLP have started behind the scene contacts with The Republican Turkish Party (RTP).HALKIM SESI reports that the aim of theses contacts to bring the RTP in the "coalition". RTP leader Mehmet Ali Talat, during a line interview, confirmed the press reports that "coalition" partnership proposal was extended to him. However, he firmly rejected to disclose who made the proposal nor did he give details on the content of the proposal. 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 |