LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Thursday that he would summon Lyn Parker, the British high commissioner in Greek Cypriot side, to his office and ask him to make an explanation about news stories claiming that British Base Commander Kernel Grosswith had intervened in elections by putting pressure on residents in Turkish Cypriot town of Beyarmudu.
Speaking at a meeting, President Denktas described intervention of British commander in elections as an unacceptable threat, and called on all authorities including the Higher Electoral Board (YSK) to fulfill their duties.
''This is an unacceptable threat. We want to live together with British bases in a friendly atmosphere. We expect them to act impartially. They should not intervene in elections by taking sides. We know that British bases have not fulfilled their duties of guarantorship since 1963. However, they do not have the right to intervene in elections in TRNC to satisfy the Greek Cypriot side. We cannot accept it,'' he emphasized.
President Denktas noted, ''British commander threatened the mayor of Beyarmudu saying that if they refused to cast their votes in favor of a side in the elections, they would have some difficulties. Our authorities including YSK remained silent. Everyone should take action and act carefully. They have been expending efforts to destroy our state. We should give hand in hand and struggle against them.''
In an interview with the Bayrak TV Channel at the weekend, Beyarmudu Mayor Huseyin Beyar said, ''Dikelia British Bases Commander Kernel Grosswith told me that if the political parties defending the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan could not win the elections on December 14, 2003, residents of Beyarmudu would not be able to use the base region easily.''
(UK-AÖ) 13.11.2003