Denktas: Acceptance Of Invitation For Eu Parliament Elections Means Denial Of T.R.N.C. Citizenship

LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Tuesday that acceptance of the Greek Cypriot side's invitation for European Parliament elections would mean denial of TRNC citizenship.
Speaking to reporters, Denktas said that there had been a long discussion on activation of an economic committee during today's talks and a decision on formation of such a committee had been made, adding that there was a need for measures to protect the Turkish Cypriot economy during transition period, but Annan's plan did not include any article about the issue.
Denktas said that they had taken up the necessity of discussing the issue within this framework and resolving it in a satisfactory way.
Noting that they had asked Greek Cypriot administration leader Tassos Papadopoulos about the ''invitation for the European Parliament elections as if the Cyprus issue would not be resolved and as if Turkish Cypriots were citizens of Greek Cypriot side'', Denktas said, ''we stated that the invitation contradicts with the ongoing negotiations and has caused Turkish Cypriots to get suspicious.''
''They say, 'people who say they are Cypriot citizens can join elections if they want even if there would not be an agreement. We made preparations for it and we do not put pressure on anybody'. If some of us accept this invitation, it means that they deny their TRNC citizenship. Accepting it before resolution of the issue benefits only Greek Cypriots. Three or five people may do it, but our people should not be deceived by such tricks,'' he said.
Denktas noted that Papadopoulos had said that ''the list of changes he presented to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan included several examples, so it was not a complete list and he wanted to broaden the list'', adding that Turkish side did not oppose to it. ''Because we can go to more detailed points during talks. So we do not have any objection to it.''
Stating that there was a document prepared by Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto, but Papadopoulos had found it constrictive, Denktas said, ''also we did not oppose to it. Because we do not want to put on such a tight jacket. There are many things we are going to discuss.''
Denktas said that what they wanted after revision in the main issues was to swiftly review Annan's plan article by article and other revisions required by the main revision.
(MS-AÖ) 24.02.2004