Denktas: They Also Imposed Embargo On Social Activities And Institutions

LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) left on Wednesday for Istanbul to participate in a meeting in which the request to ''link Lions in TRNC to Athens'' will be evaluated.
Describing this initiative as ''great injustice'', Denktas said this initiative aimed at imposing embargo on Turkish Cypriots in the field of social activities and institutions. Denktas said Turkish Cypriot people was already under embargo on economy and sports. Denktas said he hoped the Lions in Turkey would oppose to this.
Denktas said there was pressure and threat in the Greek Cypriot side to prevent the Greek Cypriots to apply the Compensation Commission set up in TRNC for their goods in the North. He said this happened as the Greek Cypriot side did not want solution of Cyprus question under equal conditions.
Denktas said, ''there has been an unjust embargo on Turkish Cypriot people for 40 years. In 1960 agreements, sports, social affairs and contacts belonged to communities, not an issue of government. Despite this, they imposed embargo on economy and sports. They also imposed embargo on social activities and social institutions. This time, we are face to face with a request demanding Lions, which has activities in TRNC for years, to be lined to Athens. This is injustice.''
Denktas said they hoped Lions in Turkey would oppose to this request, and help the Lions in Cyprus to explain the world that this was injustice.
TRNC President Denktas said, ''you know we launched an important initiative. We issued a law to solve property problems of Greek Cypriots. Greek Cypriots put pressure on its people not to apply to the Commission. I hope the world covers the developments and evaluates which side wants peace.''
(AY) 27.08.2003