DATE=7/20/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235723
TITLE=TURKEY / CYPRUS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TURKISH PRIME MINISTER MESUT YILMAZ VISITED NORTHERN
CYPRUS MONDAY TO TAKE PART IN CELEBRATIONS MARKING THE 24TH
ANNIVERSARY OF TURKEY'S MILITARY INTERVENTION. AS AMBERIN ZAMAN
REPORTS FROM ANKARA, MR. YILMAZ USED THE OCCASION TO ACCUSE
GREECE AND GREEK CYPRIOTS OF FAILING TO DRAW LESSONS FROM THE
ISLAND'S VIOLENT PAST.
TEXT: ADDRESSING REPORTERS UPON HIS ARRIVAL ON THE DIVIDED
MEDITERRANEAN ISLAND, PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ DESCRIBED GREEK
CYPRIOT PLANS TO SOON DEPLOY RUSSIAN-MADE SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES
AS HIGHLY DANGEROUS. HE CALLED THE DECISION PART OF WHAT HE
TERMED A JOINT GREEK CYPRIOT AND GREEK DEFENSE PACT AIMED AT
TURKEY. THE TURKISH LEADER SAID HIS COUNTRY WOULD TAKE ALL
NECESSARY MEASURES TO PROTECT THE TURKISH CYPRIOT COMMUNITY FROM
GREEK AGGRESSION -- A THINLY VEILED REFERENCE TO EARLIER TURKISH
THREATS TO DESTROY THE MISSILES, IF AND WHEN THEY ARE DEPLOYED.
MR. YILMAZ ALSO CRITICIZED THE EUROPEAN UNION OVER ITS DECISION
LAST DECEMBER TO OPEN MEMBERSHIP TALKS WITH THE GREEK CYPRIOT
GOVERNMENT -- WHILE FAILING TO DO SO WITH TURKEY. ANKARA APPLIED
FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP IN THE E-U 11 YEARS AGO.
//OPT// TURKEY SAYS IT WILL PURSUE FULL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION WITH
NORTHERN CYPRUS UNLESS THE EUROPEAN UNION PUTS ON HOLD
MEMBERSHIP TALKS WITH THE GREEK CYPRIOTS. SO-CALLED "ASSOCIATION
COUNCIL TALKS" WILL BE HELD ON THE ISLAND THIS WEEK BETWEEN
SENIOR TURKISH AND TURKISH CYPRIOT OFFICIALS IN ORDER TO DISCUSS
ECONOMIC TIES. //END OPT//
ON SATURDAY, TURKISH PRESIDENT SULEYMAN DEMIREL TRAVELS TO ISLAND
TO WATCH THE ARRIVAL OF A HUGE BALLOON CARRYING WATER FROM THE
TURKISH MAINLAND. TURKEY HAS PLEDGED TO SUPPLY THE TURKISH NORTH
WITH URGENTLY NEEDED WATER AND IS PLANNING TO BUILD A PIPELINE TO
CARRY THE WATER ACROSS THE MEDITERRANEAN TO THE TURKISH NORTH.
//REST OPT// CYPRUS HAS REMAINED DIVIDED SINCE 1974 AFTER TURKISH
TROOPS INTERVENED FOLLOWING AN ATTEMPTED COUP BY
ULTRA-NATIONALISTS TO ANNEX THE ISLAND TO GREECE. AROUND
30-THOUSAND TURKISH TROOPS REMAIN ON THE ISLAND. U-N SPONSORED
PEACE TALKS TO REUNITE THE ISLAND HAVE FAILED, SO FAR.
A U-S-LED INITIATIVE TO REVIVE THE PEACE PROCESS FALTERED EARLIER
THIS YEAR AFTER THE TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADER RAUF DENKTASH INSISTED
THAT HIS COMMUNITY BE OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED AS A POLITICAL ENTITY
AS A PRECONDITION FOR RESUMING INTER-COMMUNAL TALKS. BUT THE
DEMAND WAS REFUSED BY THE GREEK CYPRIOTS.
THE UNITED STATES REMAINS DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT CONTINUING
TENSION BETWEEN THE CYPRIOTS AND BETWEEN NATO MEMBERS GREECE AND
TURKEY COULD LEAD TO A FRESH CONFLICT IN THE REGION. U-S
MEDIATION EFFORTS NOW FOCUS ON PREVENTING DEPLOYMENT OF THE
RUSSIAN-MADE MISSILES.
IN A RELATED DEVELOPMENT, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JAVIER SOLANA
SAID NATO WOULD BE PREPARED TO MONITOR A NO-FLY ZONE OVER CYPRUS.
GREECE AND THE GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION SAY THE DEPLOYMENT OF
THE RUSSIAN-MADE S-300 MISSILES COULD BE CANCELLED, IF A NO-FLY
ZONE WERE DECLARED. BUT TURKEY SAYS THE THE MISSILES CANNOT BE
MADE THE SUBJECT OF BARGAINING OR POLITICAL PRESSURE, AND
OFFICIALS IN ANKARA SAY THE REAL OBJECTIVE OF THE NO-FLY ZONE
PROPOSED BY THE GREEKS IS TO END TURKEY'S AIR SUPERIORITY OVER
THE ISLAND. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/PCF
20-Jul-98 9:33 AM EDT (1333 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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