LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said, ''separation of communities and two nations is essential for us. We do not have any intention to change it under any excuse in a new partnership.''
Holding a press conference on Thursday following the fourth round of Cyprus negotiations with the Greek Cypriot side, President Denktas said, ''according to the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, the new Senate would have an equality of 24-24. The plan says, 'component state legislatures to be elected within 40 days of entry into force of this Agreement shall each nominate 24 delegates (reflecting the political composition of their legislature) to a transitional common state Parliament to operate for one year'.''
''However, Greek Cypriot people will come and settle in northern part of the island. In line with the plan, they will have political rights. In that case, 24 Greek Cypriot people will represent the Greek Cypriot side in the senate. But, Turkish Cypriot side can be represented by 18 Turkish Cypriots and 6 Greek Cypriots for instance. Such a situation will disrupt the partnership based on two sovereign nations,'' he said.
Denktas noted, ''the partnership based on two sovereign nations was included in the agreements of 1960 and in the Set of Ideas of former United Nations Secretary General Butros-Butros Gali. Now, it is impossible for us to destroy it on the ground of state equality. Papadopoulos proved how intransigent he was by saying that the Turkish Cypriot side wanted a serious deviation from the plan.''
Reminding that the negotiations were suspended to tomorrow, President Denktas said, ''we do not go out of frame of the plan. The plan already includes the expressions of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot founder states. After reading this plan seven or eight times, according to our understanding, there will be Turkish senators from Turkish state and Greek Cypriot senators from Greek Cypriot state. There will be Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot judges representing the two sides in courts. They refuse it by saying that 'no, if he lives in your side and he has taken your citizenship, he can be a Greek Cypriot. There should not be ethnical discrimination and it cannot be accepted.' Then, we will be assimilated slowly in the administration of majority. What they called ethnical discrimination is the separation of two peoples, which is a basic principle. We don't have any intention to change it in a new partnership.''
When he was reminded of a Reuters' news story which said that Turkish Cypriot side called for the effective renegotiation of Cyprus's European Union membership and its re-ratification by EU members, Denktas said, ''we did not present this proposal. There are derogations that we want for protection of our national presence and economy. EU experts said that it should be passed from parliaments of those countries. Temporary formulas can be found, but it is a basic principle. All people engaging in law say that it should be done. If it is not done, we close the issue with rights which will remain just on paper and no one can know what will happen to us in the future. We insist on this issue. EU said that it would work to help us. But we should get the result.''
When he was reminded of his statement that Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos assumed an intransigent attitude, Denktas said, ''for him, we are the intransigent side. We will try to find a way in between without harming anyone.''
(UK-EÖ-AÖ) 26.02.2004