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Thursday, 18 April 2024
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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-12-10Cyprus 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. 230/97 -- 10.12.97[A] NEWS ITEMS
[A] NEWS ITEMS[01] Denktash refers to of `Mistaken Translation' at OIC SummitAccording to illegal Bayrak radio (16:30 hours, 9.12.97) a "translation mistake" has been committed regarding the "equal partnership status" of the Turkish Cypriots at the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit. Rauf Denktash intervened when the Turkish Cypriots were referred to as a minority in the translation from Arabic into English and asked that this expression be corrected. "It was revealed, however, that the translation was a mistake and that the real document talked about the full political equality of the Turkish Cypriot people," illegal Bayrak says.In his address in Arabic at the OIC summit, the OIC secretary general talked about the political equality of the Turkish Cypriots when referring to Cyprus. However, the English translation referred to the Turkish Cypriots as the Turkish Cypriot minority. In the wake of this, Denktash requested the OIC secretary general to correct the reference to minority regarding the Turkish Cypriots. The OIC secretary general, who replied to Denktash's demand, stressed that he did not refer to the Turkish Cypriots as a minority in the original Arabic version of his address and that it was only a matter of a mistaken translation. Denktash, who started to hold bilateral contacts in Tehran, met with Turkish President Suleyman Demirel. Denktash later met with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, head of Palestinian Government Yasir Arafat, the Iranian foreign minister, the head of the state of Lebanon, the Jordanian Crown Prince, the foreign minister of Bangladesh, the Syrian foreign minister, and the deputy prime minster of Uganda. Taner Etkin, "foreign affairs and defense minister", met with the Slovenian head of state, the foreign minister for Sierra Leone, and the Libyan foreign minister. [02] Ecevit says no concessions planned for Cyprus, AegeanTRT (5:00 hours, 9.12.97) aired a live interview with Bulent Ecevit, Turkish deputy prime minister and state minister, by Gulden Ozel and Riza Okur on the "New Agenda" program. In reply to a question on the EU's attitude towards Turkey, Ecevit, inter alia, said: "Their stand on Turkey is not yet clear.Naturally, it is impossible for us to make the concessions they ask in exchange for the hope of a future EU membership. It is impossible for us to sacrifice Cyprus and renounce our rights in the Aegean. Certain claims are being made regarding human rights. We also have certain claims on the issue. We have our own self criticisms on the issue. We are trying to speedily rectify our human rights shortcomings. Both our government and our nation are determined on this issue. It is, however, impossible for us to make concessions on Cyprus, the Aegean, or other similar issues. A government that is willing to make these concessions cannot remain in power even for a single day. The Turkish nation is very sensitive regarding these issues. The situation is unclear because Europe is undecided. I, however, am not concerned in the least from Turkey's viewpoint. There are many world countries with very strong economies that have never joined the EU or the Customs Union. In other words, the world neither begins nor ends with Europe. We have extensive relations outside Europe. As I have said, Turkey is both a European and an Asian country. We are a Middle East, Balkan, Eastern Mediterranean, and Caucasian country. We have very close historic, political, and cultural relations not only with the Central Asian Turkic republics but with countries south of Central Asia such as the PRC and India. The word `Westernization' has lost its meaning in today's world. The important issue is to keep with the times. Nor is it only America that is keeping up with the times. Even the Far East is keeping up with the times. Therefore, I, personally, have removed the word `Westernization' from my lexicon. I have replaced it with keeping up with the times. Ataturk has opened that era in Turkey. We will open up to the West and the East in a bid to keep up with the times". [03] Eroglu returns from AnkaraAccording to illegal Bayrak radio (16:30 hours, 8.12.97), so-called prime minister Dervis Eroglu has declared that there are no differences of view between Turkey and the pseudostate regarding the "national Cyprus cause". Eroglu returned to the occupied area last Monday. During a three-day visit he paid to Ankara to attend the "Turkish Cypriot Development Platform" founding members meeting, Eroglu held various contacts with Turkish government and state officials.In a statement occupied Tymbou airport, Eroglu explained that he held meetings with Turkish officials on economic and political issues as well as matters pertaining to education and the so-called Turkish Cypriot Airlines. Describing his Ankara contacts as extremely positive and beneficial, Eroglu said: "I had the opportunity to discuss and relate all our problems to state and government officials. I was pleased to observe that the Turkish Government's views do not differ from those of the Turkish Cypriots regarding the negative attitude occasionally displayed by world countries especially concerning the national cause." Eroglu recounted that his meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz left him with the impression that the subjects that every so often emerge in Ankara regarding the "national cause" and that appear to be demoralizing are not longer on the agenda. He noted that all the coalition parties that represent the government in Turkey concur on the view that the Cyprus issue can be solved on the basis of "two states". Eroglu said that Yilmaz clearly stated that EU membership talks will be shunned unless the principle of "two states" is accepted. Eroglu announced that agreement was also reached with the Ankara government to further intensify the dialogue between Turkey and the "TRNC" and take the steps proposed for the Cyprus issue in the aftermath of the 12-13 December EU meeting. The tripartite meeting held with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel covered all the issues in the economic and political fields, Eroglu recounted. He said that the transfer of $80 million, which constitutes the second slice of the $250-million supplementary budget approved by the Assembly, to the pseuodstate during the second half of December was discussed during the meeting. Eroglu noted that agreement was also reached to allow the "TRNC" to benefit from loans extended to free trade zones and top-priority development regions. [04] Demirel refers to Cyprus at OIC summitAccording to TRT (18:00 hours, 9.12.97), Turkish President Suleyman Demirel who is in Tehran to participate in the eighth Islamic Conference summit, addressed yesterday's session.Demirel, addressing the summit session that was closed to the press, referred to the Cyprus issue and claimed that the "Muslim Turkish community in Cyprus that has for years been the target of an inhumane embargo is shouldering all the burden of the Cyprus problem". Noting that the Cyprus problem can only be solved through negotiations, Demirel said that extreme armaments and the purchase of missile systems has exacerbated the existing mistrust between the two communities. 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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