LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Affairs and Defense Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu said on Wednesday that European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen should be dismissed from his posts on Cyprus and Turkey.
Ertugruloglu harshly criticized Verheugen's speech on Cyprus and Turkey and stressed that Verheugen's statements could not be accepted.
''Verheugen's statements include pressure and interference. Those cannot be accepted. Verheugen put forward that he is not eligible for having any post on Cyprus and Turkey. Thus, it will be appropriate that he should be dismissed from his post on Turkey and Cyprus by the institution that he represents,'' Ertugruloglu stated.
Stating that Annan's plan was a ''document of disaster'', Ertugruloglu said that Verheugen proved by his own words that former British special representative to Cyprus Lord David Hannay and he were among people who prepared Annan's plan.
Responding to Verheugen, Ertugruloglu said that Verheugen went too far with his statements and revealed that he was helpless and stated that when they understood that they would fail, they became aggressive.
Ertugruloglu said, ''who does Verheugen think he is? How can he dare to make such threats against Turkey, to insult the Turkish Armed Forces and to denigrate our President, and Turkish Cypriot people and our state in President Denktas' personality?''
''Turkey saved the honor of humanity in Cyprus and gave a significant lesson to the whole world, especially to the EU. In fact, the world should have respected Turkey and TRNC. Such worthless and insolent approaches against Turkey and TRNC are the signs of real characteristics of our interlocutors,'' he stressed.
Ertugruloglu emphasized, ''is this the EU, which was tried to be shown as a heaven on the earth? Verheugen has put forward once again our right to ask this question. It was unveiled once again that a person having such a double-standarded and clear hostility against Turkey and TRNC and such an excessive addiction to the Greek Cypriot side, and the institution he represents, cannot have any fair policies based on equality and law about the Cyprus question.''
''Verheugen has also proved his habit of intervening in domestic affairs of the Turkish side. Since he has lost himself, he could dare to say that if circles, which they created and fostered, won the elections, the elections would have a meaning, otherwise, the elections would be considered illegal. He has emerged as a person attacking hither and thither like a mad bull.''
Ertugruloglu said dismissal of Verheugen by the institution he represented would be correct and an indication of good will, stating that, ''however, is this only the Verheugen incident? There is no guarantee that the person that would be assigned instead of him would not be a second Verheugen.''
Ertugruloglu said the important thing was the mentality, policy and the approach he represented, not the name. He said, ''Verheugen should absolutely not interfere any issue linking with Cyprus and Turkey. It was revealed that he did not deserve such a post. Thus, he should withdraw.''
Referring to the statements of Verheugen that there would not be violence and riot in Cyprus and that people did not like and want this, Ertugruloglu said, ''while stating these, in fact Verheugen says they want violence and riot in Cyprus, but the people don't want and like it. They make preparations for the scenarios they would create after elections as they could predict the results of December 14 elections.''
Ertugruloglu said Verheugen with his statements addressed the opposition and meant to say, ''this is what we wanted from you after elections''.
(EÖ-UK-AY-AÖ) 03.12.2003