LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Saturday that European Union (EU) wanted Cyprus due to strategic reasons.
Prior to his departure for Istanbul, Denktas told reporters that Britain kept its bases on Cyprus outside EU and it used the bases together with the United States for strategic purposes.
Denktas said, ''we are amazed at people who say that island of Cyprus which is situated 40-50 miles south of Turkey doesn't have 'strategic importance' for Turkey. It has such an importance that Turkish-Greek balance was established by 1960 treaties and the fact that Cyprus could not be a member of any organization of which Turkey was not a member was documented. This is a concrete right as British bases. This is a right accepted by sides for peace. It is a status establishing Turkish-Greek balance. It is a status protecting and making Turkish-Greek Cypriot balance inside permanent.''
The Greek Cypriot side had applied to European Union (EU) in order to achieve what it could not gain by gun force, Denktas noted.
Denktas said that it was time to protect their state. Noting that an intrigue was being made to make Turkish Cypriots give up Turkey's effective and de facto guarantee, Denktas said that it was time to protect their state and Turkey's guarantee and his people would show that they would not give up their state and Turkey's guarantee.
TRNC President Denktas will start his meetings in Turkey on Sunday. Denktas will attend programs on some television channels.
Denktas will give conferences in Dogus and Istanbul universities, attend the award ceremony of Union of Bars and Taksim Meetings on Monday.
TRNC President Denktas is expected to depart from Turkey on Tuesday.
(BRC-AY) 07.12.2003