LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Wednesday, ''United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has not given up his efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus question. I am ready to meet with him under the good-will mission.''
Responding questions of journalists about news stories in the Greek Cypriot press claiming that Annan would undertake a new initiative and call on leaders to hold a meeting, President Denktas said that such an initiative was out of question.
Stressing that he was ready to meet with Annan under the good-will mission, President Denktas said, ''I do not expect him to call on us to accept the plan because he is aware of the fact that we will not accept it.''
''United Nations Secretary General Annan has not give up his efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus question. However, his special envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto was acting out of the good-will mission. He became an arbitrator. Together with British Special Envoy to Cyprus Lord David Hannay and the Greek Cypriot side, he put unacceptable pressure on us to force us to accept his own plan. In fact, Annan Plan destroyed partnership of two national community in the 1960 agreement with its map and other elements. It envisaged the status of minority for Turkish Cypriots. We cannot accept it. Everyone knows this,'' he emphasized.
Stressing that De Soto had lost his reliability, credibility and friendship, President Denktas added, ''everyone should be aware of this. We do not rely on him. We do not have time to waste by continuing negotiations for another 40 years.''
(UK-AÖ) 09.07.2003