TURKEY: BREAKAWAY TURKISH LEADER RAUF DENKTASH SPEAKS TO MEDIA ABOUT FORTHCOMING MEETING WITH GREEK CYPRIOT PRESIDENT GLAFCOS CLERIDES.

Record ID: 571992

  • Title: TURKEY: BREAKAWAY TURKISH LEADER RAUF DENKTASH SPEAKS TO MEDIA ABOUT FORTHCOMING MEETING WITH GREEK CYPRIOT PRESIDENT GLAFCOS CLERIDES.
  • Date: 26th November 2001
  • Summary: (U5) ANKARA, TURKEY (NOVEMBER 24, 2001) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/MV: TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADER RAUF DENKTASH ARRIVES AT ANKARA ESENBOGA AIRPORT/ DENKTASH WELCOMED AT THE AIRPORT (3 SHOTS) 0.33 2. GV/PAN: DENKTASH ARRIVING AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE 0.39 3. VARIOUS: (SOUNDBITE)(Turkish), TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADER RAUF DENKTASH SAYING: "We expect one
  • Embargoed: 11th December 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
  • Country: Turkey
  • Reuters ID: LVAADKCH9E3TM06D57QZZKWKB9NE
  • Story Text: Rauf Denktash, head of the breakaway Turkish
    administration in northern Cyprus recognised only by Turkey,
    has been speaking about his reasons for meeting old rival
    Greek Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides on December 4 for
    what Denktash called "heart-to-heart" talks.



    Denktash made a brief stop at Ankara airport on
    Saturday (November 24) before leaving for Rome where he will
    assist in a conference.

    While at Esenboga Airport, Denktash held a news
    conference to explain why he had accepted a face to face
    meeting with Klerides on December 4.

    President Klerides has made an application to join the
    European Union which could cause a fresh crisis on the island,
    and between NATO allies Greece and Turkey. If the application
    were successful, Turkey's 30,000 troops on the island would
    then, in the eyes of critics, technically be occupying EU
    territory.

    That would shatter Ankara's own hopes of EU membership,
    important to shoring up a struggling economy, and throw its
    role in European security into question.

    Denktash said that he expected the European Union to
    listen to the opinion of both greek and turkish Cypriots. He
    called on the EU to give both sides an equal chance on the
    Cyprus matter and so decide on which side law and right lay.

    Denktash said he wanted to gauge how sincere were the
    messages given out by Klerides. He also gave his reasons for
    why he had decided to meet Klerides face to face so he can
    compare the information Klerides has been giving his diplomats
    and giving his people.

    Twenty-seven years ago, in 1974, there was direct
    confrontation between Greece and Turkey when Turkish troops
    invaded northern Cyprus in response to a militant greek
    Cypriot coup aimed at a union with Greece.

    Repeated diplomatic attempts to solve the division have
    since failed. But some in Turkey fear pressure to solve the
    issue before Cyprus enters the EU could push Ankara into what
    they see as a sell-out of Turkish Cypriot interests.

    Greek Cypriots seek a federal state with a substantial
    central government while Denktash insists Turkish Cypriots
    need their own fully sovereign state in a loose confederation.

    Turkey's parliament held a closed-door debate on Cyprus on
    Friday (November 23) after a month of conflicting signals as
    attempts were made to avert a crisis.

    The meeting lasted about three hours, but deputies
    emerging gave no details. The proceedings are an official
    secret and such comment is a criminal offence.


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