Denktas: We Will Submit Current Constitution To U.N.

LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Saturday that they would submit the Constitution in practice to the United Nations (U.N).
Denktas and U.N. Secretary General's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto had a meeting which lasted for one hour and 45 minutes.
Following the meeting, Denktas told reporters that they would give U.N. the TRNC Constitution in practice and added that to this end, they would prevent any action which would end the existence of their state.
Denktas noted that De Soto informed him about issues which would be discussed on Monday.
TRNC President Denktas said that they would submit the TRNC Constitution in practice to U.N. and added, ''thus, we don't make a new constitution which will end our state. And, we give them our constitution in practice. An agreement may be reached. After an agreement is reached, we may think of changes we can make in our constitution, taking into consideration the agreement.''
Stating that U.N. asked the two sides to submit draft constitutions of founder states, Denktas said that they would submit the TRNC Constitution in practice to U.N. on Monday.
Noting that they earlier submitted a note on this issue to the U.N., Denktas said, ''if an agreement is reached and our people say 'yes' in the referendum, then we will take action to change our constitution in line with this agreement to be reached. We have already given a note to them. We have decided to also give them our Constitution. I think that they will accept it.''
Denktas said that if the agreement to be reached by two sides was not accepted in referenda, the Constitution would not be changed.
Stating that De Soto and he had a preliminary meeting on issues which would be discussed in the meeting on Monday, he said that technical committees reached a common decision on anthem of the ''United Cyprus Republic.'' Denktas said that if an agreement was reached, anthem and flag of the ''United Cyprus Republic'' on which joint Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot committees had agreed would be valid. He noted, ''what is important is that everyone should know that we will protect our flag.''
Denktas stated that committees continued to work on international agreements signed by Turkish Cypriot side and Greek Cypriot side and on laws concerning the ''United Cyprus Republic'' continued.
TRNC President Denktas said that they expected a comprehensive report on costs of a settlement on Monday and noted that they focused on election of people who would work in the government of ''United Cyprus Republic'' and the place of the buildings of the government.
Noting that property rights of founder states were also among issues which would be discussed, Denktas said that they had demanded that every state should continue to possess its natural resources.
Stating that three foreign judges who would be appointed to the supreme court for 36 months had been named, Denktas said that they would express their view on this issue in the meeting which would be held on Monday. Denktas added that they were asked to give the list of TRNC citizens of Turkish origins.
Denktas said that U.N. also asked them to express their views on the map and added that they once more explained the serious mistake about the property issue.
Stressing that property issue was like a time bomb which could cause a fight between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, he said that if sides really wanted to reach a lasting peace in Cyprus, it was meaningless to argue over properties in the joint committees formed by the two sides.
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.
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.
(EÖ-BRC) 21.03.2004