Turkey defies U.S. call, renews threat on Cyprus

Turkey defies U.S. call, renews threat on Cyprus

ANKARA (AFP): Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller warned yesterday
that Turkey will not allow the Greek Cypriots to deploy long-
range missiles despite a U.S. call to refrain from threats to
attack the divided Mediterranean island.

Turkish-Cypriot Rauf Denktash, meanwhile, threatened to send
settlers into the deserted Greek-Cypriot coastal resort of
Varosha, which would in effect scuttle any chances of a political
settlement to end the division of Cyprus.

"It is out of the question for these missiles to be deployed,"
Ciller, who is also deputy prime minister, told a press
conference.

Turkey "will not remain idle and allow the island to be
transformed into a powder-keg," she said. Her country would "do
what is necessary, even if that means strikes."

The U.S. State Department warned Turkey on Thursday to stop
threatening military action if the Greek Cypriots go ahead with
the deployment of the Russian S-300 missiles.

"It would be completely out of bounds for Turkey to take this
action," said spokesman Nicholas Burns. "There is no reason for
the Turkish government to threaten anybody."

Ciller said Turkey has protested to Russia over the missile
deal with Cyprus. The contract was announced last Saturday but
the missiles are not expected to arrive for up to eight months.

Joining in the threats, Denktash warned that the Turkish-
Cypriots would occupy Varosha if the missiles are deployed.

The resort, which the Turkish army has wired off since its
1974 invasion of the northern third of Cyprus, will be
"integrated socially and economically to the Famagusta region,"
he said, quoted by the Turkish-Cypriot news agency TAK.

Denktash also said he was withdrawing support for a package of
UN confidence-building measures. The proposals were
"meaningless ... given the bad intentions shown by the Greek-
Cypriots in buying the missiles," he said.

Under the proposals, Varosha was to be returned to the Greek-
Cypriots and Nicosia airport, also closed since 1974, reopened
for use by both communities.

Amid the rising tension since the announcement of the S-300
contract, Turkish Defense Minister Turhan Tayan warned Wednesday
that his country could strike southern Cyprus.

"We could do what we did in 1974," he said in a reference to
Turkey's invasion. "If necessary, we could strike."

Nicosia says the missile system is purely defensive, but the
United States and Britain maintain it will lead to an arms build-
up which undermines efforts to end the 23-year division.

Turkish mainland forces invaded northern Cyprus after a coup
in Nicosia backed by the military junta then ruling Greece. A
breakaway Turkish-Cypriot state declared in 1983 is recognized
only by Ankara.

Britain, the former colonial power in Cyprus, has called for
restraint from all sides through its embassies in Athens and
Ankara, the Foreign Office in London said yesterday.