Denktas: Greek Cypriots Cannot Change 1960 Constitution

LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Wednesday, ''the European Union (EU) wanted the Greek Cypriot side to amend the Constitution. However, the Greek Cypriot side cannot change the Constitution on its own. Approval of two third of Turkish Cypriots is required to change the 1960 Constitution. And it is impossible.''
Speaking at a program on Bayrak TV Channel (BRT), President Denktas said, ''the EU wanted the Greek Cypriot side to amend the Constitution. However, the Greek Cypriot side cannot change the Constitution on its own. Approval of two third of Turkish Cypriots is required to change the 1960 Constitution. And it is impossible. In this case, the EU should tell Greek Cypriots to reach compromise with Turkish Cypriots or it should say that it will accept Greek Cypriot Republic instead of Republic of Cyprus as a member.''
''The world has been recognizing the Greek Cypriot side as the Cypriot government for 40 years. In fact, the Greek Cypriot side is not the government of Turkish Cypriots. We want to resolve the problems and gather Cyprus under the same umbrella as two equal and sovereign nations,'' he stressed.
Noting that the United States could not solve the Cyprus question by putting pressure, President Denktas said, ''no one can tell us to sit at the negotiation table immediately. The Cyprus question cannot damage relations between Turkey and the United States. We are ready to expend efforts to reach an agreement on the basis of two equal and sovereign nations, which will protect our security and the balance between Turkey and Greece.''
(UK-AÖ) 02.07.2003