LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Friday that TRNC and Turkey launched study regarding U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan but that a new initiative was not on the agenda during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's one-day visit to TRNC on Saturday.
When reminded some allegations which said that Prime Minister Erdogan would make a statement concerning Maras's opening to settlement during his visit to TRNC, Denktas said that there was not such a thing.
When also reminded some news stories which said that initiatives regarding Annan's plan were on the agenda, Denktas said, ''there is not such a thing for Saturday. Both sides are working on the plan.''
Denktas said the sides would come together and announce a plan after they completed their studies.
DENKTAS TALKS TO FOREIGN JOURNALISTS AND GUEST DELEGATIONS
Denktas met with guest journalists participating in Republic Day ceremonies in TRNC and representatives of other guest delegations and discussed Cyprus issue.
Stating that Greek Cypriots, who had earlier failed to do what they wanted through weapons, mass graves and embargoes, now that tried to achieve their goal through European Union.
Addressing the guests, Denktas said, ''when you return to your country you say 'we visited a country which nobody wanted to recognize, but which deserves to be recognized''.
Denktas said when 1960 agreements were signed, Greek Cypriot leader Makarios had said the agreements had created a state but not a nation.
Stating that this was right, Denktas said there were Turkish and Greek Cypriots that lived on the island for centuries but that they could not get integrated and create Cypriot nation.
Briefing foreign journalists on formation of partnership agreement, conditions of the agreement, guarantee system and ensuing incidents and Enosis efforts of Greek Cypriots, Denktas said Turkish Cypriots resisted against the efforts of Greek Cypriots to annex the island to Greece.
Stressing that injustice has been implemented on Turkish Cypriots for 40 years, and that they resisted to this for 40 years, Denktas briefed about initiatives that were launched so far to find a solution to Cyprus question and the intransigent attitude of Greek Cypriots.
Denktas said former Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides had said there was noting mutual between them to be discussed, and that they applied for EU membership, and that he would discuss everything if he had supported their EU membership bid.
Denktas said, ''he had known that I would not support this application because the application had been made not by ''Cyprus'' but by Greek Cypriots.
Underlining that Greek Cypriot side had applied to the EU through political reasons, Denktas said under 1960 agreements, Cyprus could not be a member of an organization which both Turkey and Greece are not members of.
Denktas said they opposed to the application for the issue for this reason, stressing that, ''our priority is the solution of Cyprus question.''
Denktas recalled that Greek Cypriot side confessed that they were carrying on negotiations to show Turkish Cypriot people as if they assumed an uncompromising attitude and stated that Greek Cypriot authorities said that they succeeded in this tactic.
Stating that there were two peoples, two democracies and two regions on the island, Denktas said that they made a proposal on formation of a confederation regarding a new state compromised of two separate states. Denktas added that if confidence was settled after the formation of confederation, it could be turned into a federation.
Concerning Annan's plan, Denktas said that he held face-to-face meetings with Clerides and stated that the plan was put on the table when he went to New York to have medical operation.
Denktas said that the plan foresaw that half of Turkish Cypriot people would become refugees again and they would be moved to a place where no one knew and stated that when they read the plan, they saw that most part of territories of Turkish Cypriot people were taken and their guaranties were diluted. He added that they said that it could not be accepted.
Denktas said that Americans, British and Greek Cypriot people attacked on him and now the European Union (EU) was attacking on him as he did not accept the plan.
Stating that there would be elections in TRNC, he said that U.S. coordinator Thomas Weston, British high commissioner and British bases commander sided with and aided the opposition which would accept the plan. Denktas said that they were struggling for elections which would be held on December 14.
Denktas said that they faced with an accusation that ''if Turkish Cypriot side does not accept the agreement, they will remove the chance of Turkey to join the EU'' and stated that Turkey said that ''it is not included in Copenhagen criteria. I will do my best to fulfil Copenhagen criteria. Why do you bring Cyprus issue as an obstacle in front me? I did not create Cyprus issue. Greek Cypriot side had created it with the support of Greece in 1963. You should put the issue in front of them and you ask Greek Cypriot side to solve the issue.'' Denktas added that but Turkey could not get an answer to it.
Denktas said that he informed Weston and EU diplomats on legal process and stated that those people told him that ''Mr. Denktas, it is not a legal process, but a political one. The decision was taken. Cyprus train is moving. You should board the train, otherwise you will miss it.''
Denktas said that the mentioned train was not a ''Cyprus train,'' but a ''Greek Cypriot train'' and stated that if they wanted it to become a Cyprus train, they should give us time to carry on negotiations. Denktas said that they should also told Greek Cypriot side that it was not government of Turkish Cypriot people. He added that then it could become a Cyprus train.
(EÖ-AY) 14.11.2003