LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said early on Monday that Annan plan called on a nation which was tried to be convinced by European Union (EU) membership, to give up their state and Turkey's guarantee and departure of Turkish soldiers from the island.
Denktas attended a program broadcast on private Kanal D channel.
Replying to a question, Denktas noted that December 14 general elections in TRNC would not be an election to choose a person and said, ''it is not the time to choose any person. This is a matter of saving the state, not being separated from Turkey, not being separated from Turkey's guarantee, not doing what (Greek Prime Minister Costas) Simitis says. Otherwise, enosis (union with Greece) will occur and it will be the end of us. Internal explanations can be made after elections.''
Denktas stated that they had not given up Turkey and Turkey's guarantee and stressed that this will would be seen in the elections.
Noting that Cyprus was not an obstacle before Turkey's EU membership, Denktas said that those who did not want to include Turkey in EU tried to show Cyprus as an ''obstacle.''
Pointing out that Turkey could use Cyprus as a very good trump to join EU, Denktas stated that he protected the most vital rights of Turkey.
Denktas said that he did not have the right to sign any document and end Turkey's right.
When anchorman Fatih Altayli said, ''if the Turkish government says 'let's lift this right, I don't want it.' The current government seems to imply this a bit,'' Denktas said, ''I don't think the government has done or thought so. It has not said so. It has never said that 'Cyprus can join EU excluding us.' It has said that 'Cyprus can't join EU without us' on every occasion.''
Denktas stated that the Green Line defined as ''the wall of shame'' saved Turkish Cypriots from being buried into mass graves.
Noting that there were two separate paths before them, Denktas said that one of those paths would separate Turkish Cypriots from Turkey.
Pointing out that many people said that ''Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots could live together'' after the borders were opened, Denktas drew attention that co-existence and living together were different things.
Denktas noted that Turkish Cypriots who immigrated from the south to north of the island left behind many properties and stated that Turks came to the north as a result of exchange of population.
TRNC President Denktas drew attention that United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General's former Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto confessed that he was wrong with property issue and emphasized that Annan plan was worthless in that case.
Denktas said that it was seen that De Soto's plan was prepared together with the Greek Cypriots.
The Greek Cypriots totally destroyed Turkish properties left in the south of the island, Denktas stated.
Denktas stressed that the TRNC was not the obstacle before solution of Cyprus issue.
The issue could not be solved so far because the issue could not be diagnosed, because two sides were not equally treated and because the Greek Cypriots were treated as the ''legal government of Cyprus'', Denktas noted.
When the anchorman recalled about the press conference held by U.S. State Department's Special Coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Weston the previous day in which Weston said ''in case those who supported Denktas won the elections in TRNC, Annan plan would be rejected'' and asked if Annan plan would be discussed in such a case, Denktas recalled that he had earlier said that ''Annan plan would continue to be discussed no matter who won the elections.''
Denktas reacted to Weston saying, ''you can be a big state, but we also have the right to defend''. Denktas also criticized Weston who said ''there was no other plan than Annan plan''. ''Is it a divine inspiration? Is it a God-sent plan?'' Denktas asked.
Stating that they were struggling for a fair and humanly living, Denktas said that injustice made to Turkish Cypriots for 40 years should be ended.
Denktas said that the Greek Cypriots were shocked when TRNC opened borders on April 23 and the Greek Cypriot administration told its citizens not to ''show their passports'' at border gates.
The Greek Cypriots were no more shocked when officials of the United States, Britain and EU said that ''opening borders was not a solution'', Denktas noted.
Pointing to strategic importance of Cyprus for Turkey, Denktas referred to an interview of Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok with Greek press in which Ozkok said that ''they would not leave the island.''
Denktas showed the Cyprus map assembled to a Greek flag and pointed to EU membership of Greek Cypriot administration, saying, ''this is indirect enosis.''
''We have walked on the same line with Turkish governments and will continue to do so,'' Denktas said.
Denktas stated that Turkey and TRNC were united around common values and goals regarding Cyprus issue.
DENKTAS: OPPOSITION WON'T WIN THE ELECTIONS

Denktas said that ''the opposition will not win the elections, we give the guarantee of that because we know our people. The discourse and the things told by the opposition leaders are known. As the U.S., Britain and the EU put so much pressure on us, people started to understand that this would not be to their advantage.''
Denktas noted that Annan plan which was prepared by foreigners was a plan imposed from outside and thousands of its pages were missing. Commenting that he could not submit the plan to referendum, Denktas stated that both sides wanted amendments in the plan and there was no use of submitting such a plan to referendum in such a case.
Denktas stressed that Turkish Cypriots wanted peace, to join EU, but they would not go after Greek Cypriots, adding that they would continue walking on their path after the Greek Cypriot side would join EU on May 1, 2004.
Denktas stressed that Cyprus wanted to be turned into Crete, adding that ''they will dance on our graves like they did in Crete.'' Denktas underlined the fact that Turkish Cypriots would not be without Turkey.
Noting that important developments were recorded in TRNC despite the mistakes done in the past, Denktas stated that a further revival would be seen when water would be brought from Anatolia to TRNC.
(ÖŞ-AÖ) 27.10.2003