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Friday, 19 April 2024
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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 01-03-12Cyprus 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. 48/01 -- 10-11-12.3.01[A] NEWS ITEMS
[A] NEWS ITEMS[01] Military to review tenders after lira/s depreciation According to Turkish Daily News (9.3.01) the Turkish armed forces arereviewing dollars 10 billion worth of tenders of planes, helicopters and tanks following the lira/s 25 percent fall against the dollar, CNN-Turk reported. Military officials refused to comment on the report.The military is already in negotiations with US-based Bell-Textron on a dollars 4 billion contract for attack helicopters. Turkey is also discussing the purchase of six AWACS from Boeing, and plans to buy 1,000 tanks. The lira/s 25 percent loss in value against the foreign currency has made the acquisitions much more expensive for Turkey, and the military was reviewing plans for 2001, CNN-Turk said. Turkey is expected to spend dollars 150 billion over the next 25 years to expand the capabilities of its armed forces. Turkey, which borders Iraq, Iran and Syria, has the second largest army in NATO. The government is currently revising Turkey/s anti-inflation program, which is backed by dollars 11 billion in IMF loans. Turks are already faced with price hikes in basic commodities such as gasoline, electricity and telephone. The latest crisis erupted last month after a clash between Ecevit and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer led to fears of political turmoil. The government decided to let the lira float on the market, allowing it to fall by 25 percent. As a result, foreign investors pulled out of the market, interest rates skyrocketed and stocks plummeted. [02] The Turkish Foreign Minister does not like U.S. policy on Cyprus According to Ankara Anatolia (11.3.01) the Foreign Minister of Turkey, Mr.Ismail Cem, was hosted on the ``Sunday Panorama'' program on TRT, and replied to questions on the Armenian genocide issue, the Balkans, the Middle East, and relations between Turkey and the United States.In reply to a question Cem said that two issues seem to be in the forefront on the Turkish-US relations, the first being the Cyprus problem. Cem said: ``I do not like the US policy on Cyprus. I expect a more objective approach. The US policy on Cyprus should not be trying to persuade Turkey to accept the Greek and Greek Cypriot positions''. [03] Mustafa Akinci wants a solution to the Cyprus problem and participation of the Turkish Cypriots in accession negotiationsAccording to illegal Bayrak Radio 1 (10.3.01) Mustafa Akinci so-called State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, has said that the Cyprus problem must be resolved through negotiations at the negotiating table. He was speaking at the live ``Third Dimension'' program on illegal Bayrak Television last night. He said that the way to prevent the Greek Cypriots from joining the EU on their own is to participate in the negotiation process and to express the views of the Turkish Cypriot side. Akinci stressed that he will not stop himself from pointing to issues that are in the interest of the Turkish Cypriots just because he is in power or out of fear that his remarks may lead to the breakup of the so-called government.Akinci pointed out that the four countries which used to insist that the Greek Cypriots should not become a full EU member unless a solution is reached to the Cyprus problem are now saying something else. Akinci also said that a reassessment of the situation is needed given the great effect the Turkish crisis has had on the economy of the ``TRNC''. [04] All deposits and savings from the occupied areas are being transferred to TurkeyUnder banner headlines in its front page ``Money Are Taken Out Openly'' and in a long article in the 3rd page ORTAM newspaper (12.3.01) reports that all the occupied area/s deposits and savings of the Turkish Cypriots are being transferred to Turkey through Ziraat Bankasi (Agriculture Bank) and Is Bankasi.``By keeping the interest rates low in the country these Banks propose to the citizens to open accounts of monthly interest rate in Turkey. They are acting as a bridge for the transfer to Turkey of all the money in the market'', writes the paper and goes on: ``The local Banks and the Bankers/ Union are uneasy about the situation, but despite this the Economy and Finance Ministry is keeping silent''. The paper further stresses that this will result in higher interest rates and the local banks will stop loans completely and also that the ``Central Bank/s'' reserve funds will be reduced. [05] YENIDUZEN comments on Rauf Denktash/s interview with CyBC and criticizes the lack of democracy and freedom of speech in the occupied areasThe Turkish Cypriot newspaper YENIDUZEN (10.3.01), in its main article, comments positively the fact that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Rauf Denktash, has had the opportunity to address the Greek Cypriots and express without censorship his views on the Cyprus issue through CyBC. ``CyBC television gave Denktash the opportunity to speak for over an hour in one of its programs, to express his views against their ``national cause'', writes YENDIUZEN adding that ``BRTK'' far from allowing the different voices of the Turkish Cypriots to be heard it does everything possible to silence them.'' And YENIDUZEN concludes: ``Who is stronger? From the economic and political point of view of course the Greek Cypriot side is stronger!! Where does it draw its power from? Of course from democracy and the freedom of speech. This increases their democracy. Who is the one who is sinking? We of course are sinking economically. Why? Aren/t the one- sided anti-democratic practices and the controlled policy a factor for this? This is the dynamizm of democracy which gives power to the societies! Does BRTK not belong to the Turkish Cypriots? Does it belong to Dervish (Eroglu) and Denktash?''[06] The Turkish Cypriot press gives extensive coverage to George Papandreou/s visitAll the Turkish Cypriot newspapers of 12.3.01 give extensive coverage to the visit of the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. George Papandreou to Cyprus. The Press refers to Mr. Papandreou/s statements at Larnaca Airport, at the press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his contacts.In its title YENIDUZEN carries Mr. Papandreou/s statement: ``We would like to see the Turkish Cypriots as citizens of the EU among us as well''. VATAN writes that Mr. Papandreou ``Has Confessed Everything'', adding that the Greek Minister said that the priority of Greece is to find a solution to the Cyprus problem and then Cyprus/ accession to the EU. The paper notes that Mr. Papandreou stressed that even without a solution Cyprus will be a member of the EU. AVRUPA notes that Mr. Papandreou addressed an ``EU Invitation'' to the Turkish Cypriots. BIRLIK claims that ``The Greek Cypriots and the Greeks are hatching new plots''. KIBRIS refers to Mr. Papandreou/s statement according to which ``The situation in Cyprus is unacceptable''. HALKIN SESI alleges that from Mr. Papandreou/s statements one could conclude that he wants to give the ``rights of a minority to the Turks''. [07] ORTAM: Pigeons against hawks In its front page leader ORTAM newspaper (11.3.01) with the title ``PigeonsAgainst Hawks'', writes that in our days when efforts are being made to overcome the obstacles to the resumption of the negotiations on Cyprus a struggle is going on between the hardliners and moderates both in Turkey and the occupied areas as well in the free areas and Greece.As heads of the hardliners in the occupied part of Cyprus and Turkey the paper says is Denktash and the centre-right and right in Turkey respectively. The paper considers the leader of CLP Mr. Mustafa Akinci as a moderate. As regards the free areas of Cyprus the leaders of the hardliners are the Church and right wing circles and in Greece right wing circles. 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 |
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