LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said, ''our people have given the message that they expected politicians to protect their rights in the parliamentary elections on December 14, 2003. Actually, everyone wants compromise, but one of the sides acts more cautiously.''
Denktas said Turkish Cypriot people were insistent on continuation of Turkey's guarantee, bizonal structure and their sovereignty.
President Denktas received a delegation headed by Dipkarpaz head official Emin Gungor on Monday.
Speaking at the meeting, President Denktas said, ''foreign diplomats who came to TRNC to meet with me, told us, 'the parliamentary elections yielded the result you expected especially in the villages of people of Turkey origin. But, the real Cypriots said that they wanted an immediate compromise under the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan'.''
''This is what they made foreign diplomats who visit us say,'' Denktas said, ''in fact, we do not discriminate our people as Turkish origin or non-Turkish origin. The result in the parliament is fifty-fifty.''
''Nearly 30-40 percent of people in villages which they described as 'Turkish origin', cast their votes in favor of the opposition. During the election campaigns, the opposition parties told people, 'we will sign an agreement immediately under the Annan Plan. In that case, everyone will be given red passports, everyone will enter the European Union (EU) and everyone will become rich.' Thus, people are separated this way. We are all Turkish origin and Cypriot. The message of our people in the parliamentary election is quite clear: Our people want compromise and protection of their rights. This is what both sides say. Actually, everyone wants compromise, but one of the sides acts more cautiously. They say 'compromise, but by protecting our rights.' This is the picture that come out of elections. So nobody should misinterpret this. The truth is our people do not want to be separated from Turkey. They want Turkey's guarantee. They want to exist as a bizonal and sovereign nation. The do not want Greek Cypriots to live with them,'' he said.
President Denktas noted, ''a compromise could not be reached in Cyprus for years since the Greek Cypriot side did not need such a compromise. The Greek Cypriot side has tricked the world all this time. Former leader of the Greek Cypriot side Glafcos Clerides said once that they sat at the negotiation table for tactical reasons, and their tactic was to show the other side as intransigent.
''They sit at the negotiation table to take from us. Our success was not to give. Greek Cypriots never displayed a 'let's give and compromise' approach,'' said Denktas, ''compromise requires will of the two sides. However, the Greek Cypriot side did not have such a will since the world has already recognized them as the government of the whole island.''
''They have been encouraging the Greek Cypriot side to continue their tricks. The trick is to claim the whole island under the title of legitimate government of Cyprus. The problem in front of us is whether we will accept it or not. If we do not accept it, they will blame us for being intransigent. If we accept it not to be described as the intransigent side, the Cyprus will become what the Greek Cypriot side wants. Therefore, we should be careful, determined and imperturbable. We should not be the side blocking the ways of compromise. However, we should not humiliate ourselves by trying not to block the ways of compromise.''
Noting that the United States, the EU, Britain and Greece were aware of this game of the Greek Cypriot side, President Denktas said, ''they have been encouraging the Greek Cypriot side to continue their games to claim the whole island under the title of legitimate government of Cyprus.''
When an official from the delegation asked, ''Grivas of EOKA said, 'we will unite with the Turkish Cypriots when water combines with fire, when the hell comes together with the heaven'. How long will we stay peaceful with a community having such a mentality?'' President Denktas said, ''it is our destiny to live on a single island. We do not say 'no' to this. It is the Greek Cypriot side which said 'no' and aimed at purifying the island from Turkish Cypriots. They have failed. Now, they should realize the facts and apologize from us for their past misdoing. They should accept that we can co-exist in the island as two separate nations living side by side. They should accept our equality and that Turkey's guarantee will continue. We can resolve the problems of property by coming together. Peoples can live together after all these are done and settled on a strong ground. We have recently opened the gates. They visit us and accept our existence, our police and our rule. If you remove these tomorrow, you can see how they will come. That's why we want to make peace by knowing what we will protect.''
(UK-AÖ) 29.12.2003