LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Wednesday that the whole world was making cooperation to take Cyprus, adding that they were playing a courageous trick to take Cyprus by an agreement.
Denktas received a delegation from Marmara and Straits Municipalities Union.
Denktas said that the whole world was making cooperation to take Cyprus and the trick to take Cyprus by agreement was being played with courage and proficiency. He added that TRNC was uneasy about this and all of its hopes depended on Turkey's determination about the issue and Turkey's telling to the United States, Britain and important EU countries that an injustice had been made towards Turkish Cypriots and Turkey for 40 years. He said that there was big injustice.
Noting that it was said that Cyprus question was not a legal issue, Denktas said that this meant that they knew TRNC was right in legal sense but it would not be given those rights, thus a political decision in favor of them was taken and Cyprus issue would be solved according to their interests and either TRNC would sit on table and do what they wanted or they would drag TRNC to the table by force.
Underlining that Cyprus question was an issue of geopolitics and security for Turkey, Denktas said that TRNC stood on its feet by believing this.
Denktas said that Turkish Cypriots wanted to enter EU with consensus and together with Turkey and Turkish Cypriots also wanted Turkey's rights, which were given with 1960 agreements, not to be violated. He added that Turkish Cypriots wanted consensus but consensus could not be provided by the desire of one side.
Noting that they wanted justice and rights of Turkish Cypriots to be protected and also wanted Greek Cypriots not to be accepted as a legitimate government, Denktas said that they expected some people and especially EU to say to Greek Cypriots that it could not talk on behalf of the whole Cyprus and Turkish people. He added that if this was not said, the trick to take Cyprus would continue.
Denktas said that Turkish Cypriots were attacked as if they became an obstacle before Turkey's EU membership. He added, ''we do not see ourselves as an obstacle for Turkey. Those who see us as an obstacle are those who want to take away Cyprus and they have played this trick very well. Unfortunately, some of us are deceived by this trick. We consider that Cyprus has established Lausanne balance within the scope of 1960 agreements. The balance in Lausanne is established in Cyprus as well. Now, Cyprus is wanted to be owned by spoiling this balance. We are preventing this, not Turkey. But the decision is Turkey's. I think that Turkey will take a decision soon.''
(GC-AY) 21.01.2004