LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Wednesday that the referendum which would be held in Cyprus on April 24 was not legitimate, adding that a Crete disaster has started. ''Giving an answer to this is left to Turkish people,'' he added.
Noting that he hoped Turkish people would give its answer properly, Denktas said a page of ethnic cleansing of Turkish Cypriots from Cyprus completely with such an imbalanced, complicated and illegitimate way should not be opened.
Returning to TRNC after completing his meetings in Ankara, Denktas told reporters at Gecitkale Airport that Turkish side did its best for solution in Cyprus and sacrificed its children, but still a result could not be taken.
Noting that not making derogations in Annan Plan a primary law of the European Union (EU) was a serious source of concern, Denktas said that after 19 years, all limitations would be lifted and all Greek Cypriots could return to their previous lands and then Cyprus would return to its old days. He stressed that act of adaptation did not have a legal value and not provide guarantee and this caused great uneasiness and concern. Noting that it was out of question to rely on verbal assurances of EU officials, Denktas said that although there were some important points in Annan Plan, not making derogations primary law of EU would cause big problems in implementation and would eliminate bizonality and make positive points in the plan unfunctional.
Noting that Turkish Cypriot people and Turkey would be face to face with very serious difficulties after Annan Plan was put into practice, Denktas said that referendum and the questions asked in the referendum were not legitimate and such a thing has not been seen in any place of the world.
Denktas said that a preparation was not made for Turkish side to enter EU after May 1 even if the result was to be ''yes'' in the referendum. He added that no time was left to discuss the plan and Turkish side was asked to say ''yes'' to a plan which they did not know and comprising of nine thousand pages. He stressed that this was not a legitimate act.
Noting that there were some serious drawbacks in Annan Plan and sensitive sections, Denktas said this situation was impossible to accept. Denktas said, ''thus, if you take risk, you have to take it by saying 'yes, we accept it' by knowing these dangers and by closing eyes to these dangers regardless of what they are.''
Denktas said that TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said in a press conference today that the United Nations' adding draft constitution of Turkish side to the plan by taking it from newspapers was the fault of Denktas. He added, ''because he claimed I did not present a constitution. But, I presented it and Talat knows this. I presented constitution of my country and I also presented a text and said 'if the result of referendum becomes yes, then we change the text accordingly with new organization and make it legal.' Because, today there is no right to prepare a constitution which eliminates the state and destroys the sovereignty of Turkish Cypriots.''
Noting that they wanted to make an agreement with Greek Cypriots which recognizes sovereignty and state and it was necessary to remain strong for this, Denktas said that the belief that there were two states in Annan Plan was wrong.
(GC-AÖ) 07.04.2004