LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Saturday that TRNC government would be fully-authorized in the quartet conference to take place among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece in Switzerland as a part of ongoing Cyprus negotiations.
Denktas told reporters that TRNC government would represent Turkish Cypriot people in the four-party conference to be held in Switzerland and said that nobody should have any doubts about it.
When he was recalled that the Greek Cypriot national council made a decision that Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos would not go to Switzerland if ``Denktas would not go to this county or if Denktas did not authorize anybody to go to Switzerland``, Denktas said, ``our government will be fully-authorized in Switzerland and represent our people. It knows what to do there. Nobody should have any doubts about it.``
Denktas announced that TRNC had received an invitation from the United Nations (U.N.) to hold a meeting between Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot delegations on Monday and said that two delegations would discuss U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan`s plan for the last time before going to Switzerland.
``Turkish Cypriots are present in negotiations. Nothing changes as I don`t participate in the quartet conference. I don`t go to Switzerland only to give the necessary message to my people. I want to tell my people that `we are in a dangerous situation. If we can`t get our rights, which we are not granted since today, in these negotiations, our people should be take action carefully.` I need to do so. Otherwise, the other parties will use intrigues like `Denktas was also in Switzerland and Denktas also accepted` in order to make me accept issues which can never be accepted by my people as done in New York. I can`t accept such an imposition,`` Denktas said.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side started Cyprus negotiations on February 19 to find a fair and lasting solution to Cyprus issue till May 1 on the basis of United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan plan.
If sides fail to reach a solution till March 22, a quartet conference will take place among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece.
U.N. Secretary General Annan will fill in the blanks left in the plan if participants can`t reach any compromise in quartet meetings, and the text to be formed at the end of all these initiatives will be voted in referenda to be held synchronously in the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides on April 20.
TRNC President Denktas announced on Wednesday that he would not go to Switzerland to join the four-party conference which would be held as a part of ongoing Cyprus negotiations.
ANNAN PLAN SERVES INTERESTS OF UNITED STATES AND EU
Denktas said that United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan`s plan served interests of the United States and European Union (EU).
Denktas, who received a delegation, said in the meeting that Cyprus issue had been a supra-party issue and this issue should not divide the parties.
``If Cyprus issue divides parties, enemies of Cyprus will make use of it,`` Denktas stressed.
Denktas said, ``therefore, the United States and EU have demands for their own interests on Cyprus. I think that Annan plan serves their interests. That is why Turkey`s position as guarantor state is being ended slowly and slyly and Turkish soldiers are being sent from Cyprus slowly and slyly.``
Makarios had said in 1960s that ``all their problem was the Treaty of Guarantee. If they got rid of the Treaty of Guarantee and sent away Turkish soldiers from the island, they could announce that Enosis (union with Greece) was achieved,`` Denktas recalled.
Denktas said that the aim of unilateral application of the Greek Cypriot side to the EU was to achieve what they could not achieve by gun force through the EU.
The world did not want to see the intrigue against Cyprus, Denktas stated.
Denktas noted that TRNC tried hard to make such changes in the Annan plan that would protect rights of Turkish Cypriots but they could not achieve their goal.
Turkey would join the quartet conference to take place among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece as a part of ongoing Cyprus negotiations, Denktas said.
Denktas continued, ``we hope they can do what we can`t achieve so far. If they only changed a few issues and say that `the plan is perfect in that shape`, and give it to us to hold a referendum, and if our people are deceived by this and say `yes` without real changes are made, Turkism will be ended in the island in a very short time.``
Nobody could know what would happen in the island after Turkish soldiers departed from Cyprus, Denktas said.
Denktas stressed that there was a serious intrigue against TRNC.
``We hope that Turkey, which is saying that `we insist on sine qua non conditions`, will be determined in the four-party conference and explain that it can`t and will not give up Cyprus to the other side. Also, Turkish Cypriot people can`t and will not give up motherland Turkey because our existence and presence here depend on Turkey`s effective and de facto guarantee as former incidents showed. Our existence in the island depends on owning our lands. We can continue to exist here if the Greek Cypriots don`t dominate over us. And, all these were laid down differently in Annan plan,`` Denktas said.
Denktas noted that he would be pleased if a firm agreement was made in negotiations in Switzerland and added, ``then, we will tell our people to `accept the agreement since it was a good one.` But, if they can`t succeed, we hope that we will warn our people together with Turkey that `we can`t succeed and therefore, an affirmative vote can`t be cast on this plan`.``
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side started Cyprus negotiations on February 19 to find a fair and lasting solution to Cyprus issue till May 1 on the basis of Annan plan.
If sides fail to reach a solution till March 22, a quartet conference will take place among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece.
U.N. Secretary General Annan will fill in the blanks left in the plan if participants can`t reach any compromise in quartet meetings, and the text to be formed at the end of all these initiatives will be voted in referenda to be held synchronously in the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides on April 20.
DENKTAS: I HOPE TURKEY WILL MAKE A DETERMINED DECISION ON SINE QUA NON CONDITIONS
When asked about the result he expected from the meeting to be held in Ankara, Denktas said that Turkey discussed its own parameters to attend the quartet conference to take place among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece in Switzerland as a part of ongoing Cyprus negotiations.
``I hope that they will reach a determined decision on sine qua non conditions. I hope that they will show our people and also Turkish nation that as long as those decisions are not taken, (United Nations Secretary General Kofi) Annan plan can not be accepted. Because it is necessary and inevitable,`` Denktas noted.
Stressing that some thought that if Annan plan was signed, a state which would be a founder state but not sovereign would be recognized internationally, Denktas added that this view did not reflect the truth.
``Those who say so are wrong. Such a development is not possible. The United States is also a federation and it has states. Its states have flags and anthems. But the United States is recognized in the world. Russia is a federation, but it is recognized. Constituent states are not recognized. Saying that `we will be recognized internationally, we have anthem and flag` means that we are deceiving ourselves. It is wrong to give up our sovereignty, to accept departure of Turkish soldiers from the island and to ignore move of Greek Cypriot people to force half of our people to leave their places. If we don`t want to deceive ourselves, we have to explain the facts. As long as these issues are not changed in the Annan plan, we will have difficulties,`` he added.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side started Cyprus negotiations on February 19 to find a fair and lasting solution to Cyprus issue till May 1 on the basis of Annan plan.
If sides fail to reach a solution till March 22, a quartet conference will take place among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece.
U.N. Secretary General Annan will fill in the blanks left in the plan if participants can`t reach any compromise in quartet meetings, and the text to be formed at the end of all these initiatives will be voted in referenda to be held synchronously in the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides on April 20.
(EÖ-BRC) 20.03.2004