LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Thursday that Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos tactically stated that he was ready to negotiate Annan plan. Denktas said, ''it is in vain to expect a Greek Cypriot leadership, which was convinced that it would enter the EU representing whole Cyprus and being the government of Cyprus, whether or not there is compromise, to set up a new partnership with the Turkish Cypriots on Cyprus.
Denktas made a statement to A.A correspondent by phone in Istanbul before leaving for Crans Montana. Denktas responded to the statement of Papadopoulos made on Wednesday that Cyprus would enter the European Union (EU) whether or not there is compromise on Cyprus.
Denktas said EU, which gave assurances to Greek Cypriots, sooner or later will accept that it obstructed compromise on Cyprus. ''However,'' Denktas stated, ''it may be late. It is also in vain to expect Turkish Cypriots to be dependent on a pseudo 'Cyprus government'.''
Denktas said Greek Cypriot administration considered itself as ''the government of Cyprus'', and the Turkish Cypriots as ''minority living under occupation'' and a community which was made ready to make an agreement due to embargoes imposed on them. Denktas said it was in vain to expect a partnership under equal conditions with this pseudo ''government''.
Denktas said nobody could make Turkish Cypriots to accept an agreement which disregard principle rights of the Motherland on Cyprus, which would displace half of its population, and which ignore 40-years of injustice to which Turkish Cypriots are exposed, before providing equality between the sides, and which fail to make the same treatment to both sides.
Denktas said Papadopoulos stressed that Annan plan should be altered and improved, and that he could accept the plan without changing its principle philosophy.
''We have objected to the philosophy of Annan plan and continue to do so. Because, this philosophy is wrong and it foresees a philosophy based on Greek Cypriot domination in Cyprus. Therefore, the real reason of Papadopoulos' statement as a part of tactics that 'he was ready to negotiate Annan plan' shows that he intends to keep alive the philosophy which is in Greek Cypriots' benefit, which won't take into consideration the facts, which will annihilate the basic rights of Turkey and which will bring us to the days before 1974 in regard with the property issue. This shows how rightful we are to reject this plan,'' Denktas said.
Replying to a question about ''what Turkish Cypriots would do regarding issue of compensation'', Denktas said that ''a special application department was to be formed under the Chief Prosecutor's Office regarding compensations.''
Denktas announced that nobody would pay to lawyers for the lawsuit and added, ''our lawyers who will follow the developments regarding the applications will launch necessary initiatives to compensate the losses of Turks since 1963. The door of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will be opened by filing lawsuits in the Greek Cypriot side.''
They would ask for an explanation for the demolition of 103 villages, and the profits gained from the fields and vineyards that Turks had to leave, Denktas noted.
Denktas said, ''demands regarding massacre of 16-day babies who were buried in mass graves, children around one, two, three, four and five years old, young mothers, and grandmothers has been kept waiting for a long time.''
The Greek Cypriot administration seized Turkish properties under a name ''obligatory expropriation'' and did not make this news public for years, Denktas stated.
Denktas pointed out that they would file necessary lawsuits for compensation of Turkish lands.
''We want the Greek Cypriot administration to urgently give us the list of Turkish properties seized by saying 'obligatory expropriation' since 1963 as an indicator of good will. Therefore, nobody should worry that 'this or that happened in Loizidou case.' What is right and lawful for both of the sides will be put into practice. It is the Turkish side which is the injured party in Cyprus and nobody should forget this,'' Denktas added.
(AY-BRC-AÖ) 26.06.2003