LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Friday that the armed struggle of the Greek Cypriots continued on path of European Union (EU).
Denktas received Anadolu Agency (A.A) Director General and Executive Board Chairman Hilmi Bengi, Deputy Director General Tahsin Akti and Foreign News Desk Chief Ceyhun Erguven. Turkish Agency Cyprus (TAK) Director General Emir Ersoy was also in attendance at the meeting.
TRNC President Denktas said that Anadolu Agency, which was founded by Great Leader Ataturk, was a news agency which had served much to Turkey.
Denktas appreciated A.A's efforts to give accurate news. Noting that A.A representatives in TRNC were working well, Denktas wished A.A success in its efforts and thanked for their support.
Stating that world agencies were giving news about Cyprus issue from their point of view, Denktas said that correct messages given by TRNC and the real essence of Cyprus issue were ignored.
Denktas noted that world new agencies were starting their stories about Cyprus as saying that ''Cyprus issue started as Turkey 'invaded' Cyprus in 1974.''
The armed struggle of the Greek Cypriots continued in the path of EU today, Denktas pointed out.
Denktas said that the world should treat two sides on Cyprus equally. Until the world treat the two sides equally, the Greek Cypriots would try to rule whole Cyprus with a false title and the problem would continue, he added.
The issue could not be understood if the realities were not explained, Denktas stated.
Denktas said that therefore, they were explaining past events to the world insistently.
''There is something that the world doesn't know. Cyprus issue was solved for Greek Cypriots when the Greek Cypriot side, which ended partnership (between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots) in order to turn Cyprus into a Greek Cypriot republic and achieve enosis (union with Greece), was accepted as the 'legal government of Cyprus.' You can't settle an issue which has already been settled. If you don't determine that the issue was wrongly settled or was not settled and if you don't make a diagnosis of the issue, you can't settle it. It is an issue which has not been settled,'' Denktas said.
Denktas said that neither the EU nor the United States understood it and stated that Greek Cypriot side's being recognized as ''legitimate government'' prevented negotiations on Cyprus from yielding any results.
''We did not accept the Greek Cypriot administration as 'legitimate Cyprus government.' We will not accept it in the future, either,'' Denktas said and noted that the issue was whether Greek Cypriot administration was legitimate government or not.
Denktas stressed that Greek Cypriot side's illegal application was accepted legally by violating the law and it was said that Greek Cypriot administration was ''the best member.'' Denktas stated, ''they closed their eyes and they are trying to make an illegal foundation be the owner of Cyprus.'' Denktas said that they wanted Turkish Cypriot people to sign the Annan plan by supporting Greek Cypriot administration which violated the right which had been granted to Turkey in 1969. He underlined that the right was that ''Cyprus cannot join any institution of which Turkey is not a member.'' Denktas stated that those people claimed that it was Turkish Cypriot people who assumed uncompromising attitude.
Denktas said that they could not believe the perspective the world sees the issue.
(BRC-EÖ-AÖ) 21.11.2003