Denktas: Annan Plan Envisaged To Destroy Turkish Cypriots

ANKARA - President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said, ''I said in the past that the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan for Cyprus meant nothing but destruction of Turkish Cypriots. I have still been advocating this view.''
Speaking at an international conference organized by the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) on ''Turkey-the European Union (EU) Relations and Cyprus'', President Denktas said on Thursday, ''in the negotiation process in Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot side has been acting with a contentment of becoming a member of the EU on May 1, 2004. Therefore, any successful opening could not be achieved so far.''
''If Cyprus will become a member of the EU, the sides should reach a compromise on it. No one can make us a member of the EU by force,'' he added.
DENKTAS: IF WE CAN NOT TAKE WHAT WE WANT, WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS TO WITHDRAW AND STRUGGLE TO PREVENT ACCEPTANCE OF ANNAN PLAN
Denktas said, ''they do not want signature as they know that we will not be able to sign.''
''If we cannot get what we want, and we cannot secure our sine qua non, we will tell our people that negotiations were clogged, withdraw from the negotiation table and do our utmost to prevent approval of the Annan Plan. I have the right to do this since I have been bargaining with them,'' he said.
President Denktas noted, ''they put the Cyprus issue as an obstacle to Turkey's EU membership process. I have not seen such an unfair attitude. Turkish people should not submit to this. If the EU is the institution that will protect our rights and the law, why does it ignore rights of Turkish Cypriot people stemming from the agreements of 1960?''
''The most important thing is not to find a solution till May 1, 2004, but to reach a sound agreement protecting rights of Turkish Cypriot people. The EU has given time to Turkey till the end of the year. We should be given the same period to discuss everything in detail and not to make any mistake hastily and carelessly,'' he added.
DENKTAS: LOSING CYPRUS SHOULD NOT BE THE PRICE OF OUR FAILURE TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN OUR ECONOMY
Denktas said, ''although we have failed to improve our economy, losing Cyprus should not be the price of our failure. We can correct our mistakes. When the Greek Cypriot side look at the northern part of the island, they should not see only soldiers protecting borders. We want them to see businessmen and investments. We expected our products to be purchased and sold in Turkey without customs.''
''They have been thinking for a long time that Turkey had not attributed importance to Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriot side was not in favor of reaching a compromise, and Cyprus could be taken from the Turkish Cypriot side silently. In fact, Turkey considered the Cyprus issue a case of honor, a national case for which it has sacrificed its sons. If the Cyprus is annexed to Greece as the 13th island, Turkey's sea routes will be blocked,'' he said.
President Denktas emphasized, ''Turkey has allayed our hunger, and Turkey has provided us with financial source. It was Turkey which recognized us when we founded our state. We are grateful. We will be pleased with Turkey's becoming a member of the EU. Turkey will decide whether the obstacles which were put in front of its EU membership, were sincerity or a delaying. However, we regretted that TRNC was put as an obstacle in Turkey's EU membership process.''
''As Turkey and TRNC, we think that we did not deserve such an unfair attitude. Even if the system of 1960 had continued today, Cyprus' becoming a member of the EU before Turkey's accession would have been against the international laws,'' he added.
DENKTAS: THE THESIS SAYING THAT IF ANNAN PLAN IS ACCEPTED, CYPRUS WILL TOTALLY BECOME A GREEK LAND IN A DECADE, IS RIGHT
Denktas said, ''some Greek circles said that Cyprus would become a Greek and Greek Cypriot land in ten years, if Annan Plan was accepted. They are right.''
He complained that this did not have much impacts although they continuously stated this.
Denktas also complained that press could not make voice of people heard in the world sufficiently.
Denktas said foreigners, who examined the press, thought that, ''there is not much excitement in Turkey. There is not much pressure on Turkish government, so let us put pressure on the government and get what they can not give.''
Denktas said supportive activities of the ATO, were timely, stressing that, ''I hope the press will announce this sensitivity of Anatolia to the world sufficiently.''
Denktas said, ''when I tell the foreigners that I visit Anatolia, get invitations, all the parties embrace me in unity, listen to me with excitement when I say Cyprus, they said there was not such a thing.''
Stating that it was not like that before, Denktas said, ''in the years 1955-58, I mean the years leading to Zurich and London agreements, the press organs in Istanbul was announcing the voice and excitement of people from Erzurum to Izmir everyday. This was the power of the government. The government was able to tell Britain, Greece and U.S., 'you see our country. They become angry and threatening when Cyprus is in question. Any government cannot stand against them. We can not give up Cyprus'.''
DENKTAS: NEGOTIATIONS CANNOT BE COMPLETED TILL MAY 1, 2004
Denktas said, ''we have been put pressure to find solution to all issues about Cyprus till May 1. I am really amazed at those dreaming to adopt all laws, to solve economic problems, to find solution to all issues and to prepare Cyprus to become a member of the EU as a whole till May 1. Any mechanism in the world can deal with it in such a short period of time. If they sincerely want solution of the Cyprus issue, then we should be given more time. We have been working with good-will. However, good-will is not enough to solve problems. Those who have recognized the Greek Cypriot side as the legitimate government of the whole island by ignoring their illegal actions for 40 years, has exhausted remedies of a compromise.''
Referring to the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan for Cyprus, President Denktas said, ''I am among those who are describing it as destruction plan against Turkish Cypriot people. My opinion has not changed. In fact, the Annan Plan should have not been negotiated at all. We have resisted against it for months. However, they divided our people into two. Turkey was left no choice but to say that the plan could be negotiated. We held a meeting in Ankara and agreed on our sine qua non. We thought that if the sine qua non could be given place in the place, we could try it. Now, we have been trying for our people and for Turkey.''
''I cannot say that we have made a progress in the negotiation process so far. The Greek Cypriot side does not take anything seriously since it will certainly become a member of the EU on May 1. The Greek Cypriot side rejected our all proposals. If the plan is put into practice with its current shape, a chaos will break out in the island, and no one will be able to solve it,'' he added.
DENKTAS: NO ONE CAN MAKE US A MEMBER OF THE EU BY FORCE
Denktas said, ''of course, we want to become a member of the EU. But, we want to become a member of the EU by reaching a sound agreement. No one can make us a member of the EU by force. We are totally sincere about reaching an agreement. However, we cannot consent to seizure of our rights we gained at the cost of lives of our sons.''
''If the EU had accepted Turkey's membership, it would have not put the Cyprus issue as an obstacle to Turkey. In fact, this obstacle should have been put in front of Greece. Greece and the Greek Cypriot side have started the dispute. They killed our people and buried them in mass graves. They violated the constitution. They armed themselves to claim the whole island. Turkey was accused of preventing a genocide against Turkish Cypriot people. Now, they want Turkey to withdraw its soldiers from TRNC. If Turkish Cypriot people are massacred, it will not be considered important. the Greek Cypriot side will apologize in that case, and everything will be forgotten,'' he said.
''I told a few days ago that we have a territory and live in tranquility there and we want to continue. There is Turkey's guarantee, we also want this to continue,'' Denktas said, stressing that they wanted to determine the number of Greek Cypriots who would come to TRNC, and that they did not accept Greek Cypriots' wiping Turkish Cypriots off the island.
Denktas said, ''if that is so, how and why do you reject such a case that can be put into formula easily? The reply is: 'there is one nation in Cyprus. There is one sovereignty and a state. We became an EU member. You can accept it or not.' The EU created this atmosphere. Now, it expects us to accept it.''
Denktas said, ''we want to live in tranquility on our territory. We want to be partners. Some say this is a new marriage. Nice, it is a new marriage but we will marry former partner. That partner poisoned us in the past, threw to streets, locked the door and ignored us. We will perform a marriage ceremony after 40 years. Do we not have the right to say these?''
Denktas said he asked the EU officials why they ignored rights of Turkish Cypriots stemming from 1960 agreements if the EU has the position to protect them and it is an institution to provide rights.
Denktas said, ''why don't you see that Greek Cypriots created the de facto situation in Cyprus? Response: 'Mr. Denktas, Cyprus is not a legal but political matter. Political decision has already been taken. The train is going. Get on the train, otherwise you will miss it'.''
Denktas said, ''this is the train of the Greek Cypriot side. We should negotiate to make it the train of Cyprus. In order to get a result, you should tell those people that this train did not belong to them and that they should wait for us. You don't say it.''
DENKTAS RECEIVES FOREIGN MINISTER GUL
Denktas received the same day Foreign Minister Gul. Speaking after the meeting with Gul, Denktas said that Gul informed him about his contacts abroad. ''This has given me hope, I feel at ease,'' said Gul.
Denktas stated that the Turkish side launched intensive efforts particularly in joint committees by showing good will in order to resolve the issue, noting that both sides had to act in the same way.
Noting that the Greek Cypriot side acted rigidly, Denktas said that they formed compensation commissions to help Greek Cypriots regarding the property issue, but the Greek Cypriot side impeded the people who wanted to apply to those commissions saying they would be traitors.
Denktas said that peace could not be ensured between people who were angry with each other, adding that he hoped ''friends abroad'' could say something to Greek Cypriots by the efforts of Turkey.
Gul said in his part that they had the opportunity to review recent developments with Denktas, adding that ''the attitude of Turkey and TRNC is known. We put forward our will in New York. We showed that we favoured a solution on the island, so the negotiations were transferred to the island. We work to make the negotiations bring an order which will take into consideration the realities of the island and which will ensure the two societies to live together. We hope the two sides can reach an agreement, if not Turkey and Greece will take initiative and later U.N. Secretary General will take the initiative by taking into consideration the negotiations.'' Gul said that in case of Annan's taking the initiative, they would assess the result and the peoples would decide according to that.
Gul stated that their goal was to resolve the issue before May 1, adding the Turkish side did its utmost and they expected the same effort from the other side.

(AA) 04.03.2004