LEFKOSA - State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Saturday that neither the TRNC nor the Greek Cypriot administration currently had the position of solution on Cyprus, and political authorities of both sides did not want to give up their political position, adding, ''this is the problem''.
Speaking at a panel discussion on ''Confidence-Building Measures and Solution of Cyprus Question'' which was held at the Ledra Palace Hotel in the buffer zone in Lefkosa with participation of Turkish and Greek Cypriots, Denktas said, ''both political authorities insist on their political position.''
''The matter is the unwillingness of both sides' political authorities in giving up their political position at the moment. While one of the sides says, 'we want to be equal in this new partnership' the other one says, 'we will join the EU, and the EU's laws and regulations will also protect Turkish Cypriots. So come and join the Cyprus republic and live in harmony like in old days before 1974'. But we did not live in peace before 1974,'' he said.
Noting that they did currently not have a livable and lasting solution position, Denktas said, ''what the both peoples have to do at the moment is to understand each other's concerns and needs and put pressure on their politicians by maintaining the diplomacy and catching up with the existing momentum. Then a livable agreement can be signed. An agreement which is imposed and forced can't live. This again brings along economic and political clash.''
Stressing that settlement of confidence between the two sides depended on good relations to be set up among the individuals of the two sides, Denktas said, ''everybody should accept that opening of doors is a giant forward step for a solution, which aims to create confidence between the two peoples.''
Noting that free passages could not be considered a political solution, Denktas called on the Greek Cypriot side to cooperate in solving problems stemming from free passages.
''We have been isolated from the world for thirty years. If Turkish Cypriot people are given opportunity, they will develop themselves. We failed to do this due to embargoes,'' he said.
Stressing that Turkish Cypriots had sovereignty and political equality as Greek Cypriots, Denktas described the solution to the Cyprus question as 'two sovereign peoples and two founder regions under a partnership state'.
Referring claims which said that free passages proved that the two peoples could live together, Denktas said, ''in fact, the two peoples do not live together. They only pay mutual visits. At the end of the day, everyone returns to his or her own region and home. Turkish Cypriot people are under guarantee of Turkish soldiers.''
Meanwhile, Democratic Rally (DISI) leader Nicos Anastassiades of Greek Cypriot side said that they should concentrate on the future, not on the past to find a solution to the Cyprus question.
Anastassiades said that they had been supporting positive developments brought forth by free passages, which started under the decision of the Turkish Cypriot side.
He said that free passages created a new environment for rebuilding of confidence between the two communities.
Noting that a solution to the political problem in Cyprus should be found on the basis of resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan, Anastassiades said that the solution was a bizonal federal republic with two communities.
He said that the solution required partnership of the two communities in line with the principle of equal political status of two founder sides having the same rights, power and function in their domestic administration.
Noting that they were ready for new negotiations to be held on the basis of Annan's plan without any preconditions, Anastassiades said that if the Turkish side insisted on holding negotiations between the two states instead of two communities, they would not accept it.
Anastassiades defended that free passages proved that the two sides could live together.
He described the Annan's plan as the best plan presented so far.
(MS-UK) 31.05.2003