Denktas: We Are Ready To Solve Cyprus Issue On Realities

LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Monday that they were ready to solve Cyprus issue on realities.
Issuing a message, Denktas celebrated Ramadan holiday of people and wished peace and happiness to people.
Noting that Turkish Cypriots suffered pains while reaching today and celebrated many holidays in poverty, Denktas said that Turkish Cypriots, who had waited for better days and better holidays with patience and continued their struggle, finally reached salvation.
Denktas said that developing economy, investments and growing youth since 1974 were honoring developments and formations. He added that naturally they sometimes were shaken due to inner and external reasons as it happened in every country, they had losses, but all the time they were supported by Turkey which made its best to compensate losses rapidly and was continuing to make investments. He noted that Turkey's investments on TRNC were continuing and those were honoring and pleasing incidents. He said that if it was considered what TRNC had before 1963 and where it had reached between 1963 and 1974 and what would happen if they were not saved, adding that this salvation was also a bairam and making progress for better days was also a kind of bairam.
Noting that this year's Ramadan bairam was shadowed due to terrorist actions in Turkey, Denktas said that they were sad with those actions. He added that Turkish nation had never been destroyed with those external attacks and there were people who were trying to destroy Turkey inside, but they could not achieve it.
Reiterating his views regarding December 14 elections, Denktas said that there would be an exam for all of them in coming weeks and they were on an intersection in elections.
Denktas said that they waited for peace and exerted efforts to reach a real consensus. He added that they had always wanted consensus and the other side should also want consensus; noting that when the world told Greek Cypriots that it was a legitimate government, Greek Cypriots did not have the need for consensus.
Noting that Greek Cypriots wanted to own whole Cyprus, Denktas said, ''there are circles who want us to leave our path in this intersection point and walk on another path. They say that 'this path will take us to European Union (EU) and note that EU is the welfare and prosperity'.''
Denktas emphasized that invitation for Turkish Cypriots to EU before a partnership government representing whole Cyprus was formed was an intentional move.
The Greek Cypriots walked on the path of EU in order to end rights of Turkey on Cyprus, Denktas said.
Denktas noted that they would walk on the road of EU together with Turkey.
Stating that Turkey had rights on Cyprus and Turkish Cypriots would enter EU together with Turkey, Denktas said, ''what are Turkey's rights? Turkey's rights are rights granted to Turkey to protect our sovereignty, equality, freedom and existence. If these rights of Turkey are ended and this is what the intention of the Greek Cypriots is on the road to EU, then our rights will be worthless. They will turn us into a minority in a very short time and then, this will be our end.''
Referring to words of Greek statesman Mitsotakis who said that ''if Annan plan was put into practice, Cyprus would become Greek Cypriot in ten years'', Denktas said, ''we can't resist after Turkey is separated from us and after Turkey's rights are removed on the road to EU.''
Denktas went on saying, ''we should remember these in order not to return back to those sorrowful days between 1963 and 1974. We should remember all these and appreciate our days. We should look at the future saying that we will never return to the past. We will work hand in hand with each other.''
Addressing leaders of opposition parties, Denktas said, ''I only ask them to once more think who invites us to this second path and why they have made this call. They should ask themselves if there is a Cyprus assembled to a Greek flag as the Greek Cypriots tell their people at the end of this road. Yes, my friends, this is the end of this second road. And, we have sacrificed many things not to walk on such a road for 40 years. Many people lost their lives not to walk on such a road and we have saved ourselves from such a road.''
Noting that he and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the world together that TRNC existed on the 20th anniversary of its foundation, Denktas said, ''Cyprus issue will be settled on the basis of facts. We are ready to settle this issue on the basis of facts and in the way our people want.''

DENKTAS SAYS IF THEY SIGNED ANNAN PLAN, THEY COULD NOT HAVE GOT OUT OF ITS FRAME
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Monday that if they signed Annan Plan, they would have accepted a frame of which they could not get out, adding that any new negotiation would have started within this frame.
Denktas said that both sides did not accept Annan Plan, but he was continuously shown as target because they did not want to see him within negotiations any more. Holding a press conference, Denktas evaluated the statement of Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos who said that if Denktas had signed the Annan Plan in the Hague, he would not sign it.
''So I have missed a great opportunity! What if I would sign it? Then, Greek Cypriot would not sign it? But the Greek Cypriot who did not sign it would enter the European Union as 'Cyprus' any way, whether he signed it or not, whether he reached agreement with us or not. They had this guaranty. But if we had signed this plan, we could never get out of its frame. If we signed it, we would have accepted its map. We would have accepted that 100 thousand Turkish Cypriots would be immigrants. And we would have accepted that 80 thousand Greek Cypriots would come to live among us. And we would have accepted downgrading Turkey's guarantee to zero. And any new negotiation would have started on this basis, considering we have accepted all these.''
Noting that the statement of Papadopoulos that ''he would not sign the plan'' was surprising for some people, Denktas said that he himself acted honestly and conveyed the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan prior to his departure to the Hague that he was not in a position to sign the plan and the plan had some deficiencies and its philosophy could not be acceptable. Denktas said that he had told in the Hague that he could talk over the plan again when he learned what kind of changes Papadopoulos wanted.
Denktas said that Papadopoulos had insisted that ''Turkey should guarantee to accept everything that were envisaged in the agreement which would be presented to referendum in the future and if this guarantee was not given, he would not present the plan to referendum.'' Underlining that the plan was not accepted by both sides, Denktas asked why he was shown as target? He said the answer would be that he was not wanted in negotiations. Denktas said that the reason why he was not wanted in negotiations was that the opposition claimed that not Denktas, but they represented people, and had promised the United States, Britain and Greek Cypriots to sign the plan. ''They believed in that and they do their best to get rid of me,'' he said.
Denktas said that big incidents wanted to be caused about accession to European Union (EU).
Stressing that every path had a cost, Denktas said, ''what is the cost those who want us to join EU will pay? The cost is our state, sovereignty, Turkey's guarantee, 100 thousand migrant Turkish Cypriots, and end of bi-zonal structure by movement of 80 thousand Greek Cypriots. What they call a founder state is that the thing that you consider a state will turn into a mixed institution in time. It means that majority of your rights will be removed with EU norms in time. If you are not sovereign, it means that you, as a minority, will depend on the mercy of 700 thousand Greek Cypriots.''
Denktas noted that they would join the EU, but they would not join it violating rights of Turkey.
They did not know what had happened to rights and position of Turkish Cypriots with the adjustment laws made by the Greek Cypriots, Denktas said.
Denktas stated that they would learn about them when EU considered Turkish Cypriots as human beings and respected them.
When they protected their state and stood firm on their feet, EU would do the same thing, Denktas said. Because, he said, EU wanted whole Cyprus.
Denktas pointed out that they wanted EU to lift embargoes and extend economic support to them.
Turkey was making preparations for Cyprus issue and they needed time, Denktas said.
Denktas said that they would join EU without lifting rights given to Turkish side under 1960 treaties.
Changes that Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos wanted to be made in Annan plan were ''strengthening authorities of central government, changing decision-making system, enabling continuation of Cyprus Republic in a more specific way, forming a federation instead of a confederation, overcoming economic deficiencies, and fulfilling Maastrich criteria,'' Denktas recalled.
Denktas said that they had not seen any sign of compromise from Greek Cypriots.
''We have not seen any sign that they intend to make an agreement with us which is based on equal sovereignty principle and bi-zonal structure and which continues Turkey's status as guarantor state. We want to see it because otherwise, we can't reach any compromise. Another compromise means turning us into a minority, the sovereignty and equality of which are not recognized and which has been patched to the Greek Cypriots 'on the road to EU' and thus it means giving Cyprus to Greek Cypriots,'' Denktas added.

DENKTAS SAYS ONLY WAY TO PROTECT THEIR HOMELAND IS TO PROTECT WILL OF PEOPLE, SOVEREIGNTY AND FREEDOM
Denktas held a press conference in which he responded to words said against him by leaders of some opposition parties in TRNC.
TRNC President Denktas said, ''it is our duty to show inside and outside that we protect all these, and we are determined not to give them up.''
Denktas noted that leaders who started their path saying ''we will demolish the state in Cyprus'' did their best to run him down in European Union (EU).
''Lords of union who speak badly of Turkey invite you to a path invited by Greece, Greek Cypriot side, the United States, EU and Britain. Think about the reason. Are they inviting us because they love us or aren't they aware of the intrigue played in order to remove TRNC, which obstructed the path of national targets of the Greek Cypriots to make the island Greek Cypriot in line with their National Council decisions in 1989?'' Denktas said.
Denktas recalled that 1960 treaty saw that danger and therefore, a measure was imposed saying that ''Cyprus cannot be a member of an organization of which Turkey is not a member'' in order to prevent Enosis (union with Greece).
Greek Cypriot-Greek couple applied for EU membership unilaterally and violating those treaties in order to end this guarantee, Denktas said. Denktas noted that Annan plan did not take into consideration this treaty and measure. Unilateral application of the Greek Cypriots which was made for political purposes, was considered a legitimate application made on behalf of Cyprus, Denktas added.
European Union continued to consider a divided Cyprus ''a unitary state under sovereignty of one nation'' by being defeated by the blackmail of Greece and by making a wrong calculation that Turkey would give up this basic right of itself for EU membership, Denktas stated.
Denktas said, ''EU is insistent on its mistake to accept Cyprus, which the Greek Cypriots have fought to own for 40 years, as 'the most perfect candidate' by considering rights of Turkish Cypriots and Turkey as non-existent. By considering a plan which will send half of Turkish Cypriots away from their places 'perfect', it considers elements that required Turkey's rights as guarantor state as natural.''
Denktas said that salvation struggle depending on moral and legal principles carried Turkish Cypriots from colonial administration to state fact, adding that the progress that people had made in those days should be evaluated with real and true data.
Emphasizing that there were no signs that Greek Cypriots and Greeks gave up their policy to claim whole Cyprus, Denktas said that Greek Cypriots and Greeks were trying to do by the European Union (EU) what they could not do by force of arms. And the number of people who started to see this was increasing, he said.
Underlining that path to negotiation on the basis of equal sovereignty would certainly be opened by claiming the future and the state, Denktas said that Greek Cypriot leadership would sooner or later understand that it could not reach anywhere by rejecting sovereignty and equality of Turkish Cypriots.
Denktas said that the countries, which recognized Greek Cypriots as legitimate government and thus blocked the path to consensus, could not act as if they did not see the national will of Turkish Cypriots that had been governing themselves for 40 years. He said that the door to consensus would be opened by protecting the state and sovereignty of Turkish Cypriots and guarantee of Turkey.
Celebrating Feast of Ramadan of press members, Denktas said that they were celebrating the feast in sorrow due to bomb attacks in Istanbul.
Noting that Turkey was a big and strong state and would overcome these incidents as it overcame the acts of violence of PKK terrorist organization, Denktas wished that such attacks would not continue.
(BRC-GC-AÖ) 24.11.2003