ISTANBUL - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas signaled late on Friday that he would not run his candidacy for the elections to be held in Cyprus on June 13 if affirmative votes to United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan`s plan for Cyprus were more than the votes against it.
Appearing on a private television channel, Denktas said that he would quit in such a case.
Denktas noted that he was not the leader of those who would say ``no`` to the plan in the simultaneous referenda to be held in the island on April 24.
But, it was not only a reaction but his duty to say ``no`` to an agreement which removed their state, which denied and considered their sovereignty non-existent, Denktas said.
Denktas stated, ``the reason why I want my people to say ``no`` to the plan is because I see that this plan put forward us will not be beneficial for us.``
Both sides in the island had said that many parts of Annan plan should be changed, Denktas pointed out.
Denktas said, ``there is not any compromise. They are putting discord to referendum. If this discord is adopted by affirmative votes in the referendum, we will start the struggle after harmony is ensured. God bless us from such a development. They know that some problems will emerge. Therefore, they will bring about six to seven thousand U.N. soldiers in the island. We asked them why they want to bring these soldiers to the island and they said that they know that some incidents may occur at the beginning and therefore, they will send those soldiers to the island. What is this? They are making an uneventful country into an eventful country. They have openly said so.``
A challenging row would start in the island on especially property issue if the two sides voted ``yes`` to the plan without reaching any compromise, Denktas noted.
Denktas defended that economy would be hit, economic crisis and chaos would emerge in such a case.
Some issues had not been negotiated, Denktas said.
Denktas noted, ``groundwork was not laid and facts were not taken into consideration. A plan has been laid down for interests of others, the United States, Britain and the European Union (EU).``
His duty was to warn his people and he did so, Denktas stated.
Denktas said, ``if I say ``yes`` and if what I am feared of becomes true, I will be responsible for it. Now, I can sincerely say that I am not responsible for anything. I am warning my people of possible threats. Now, it is people`s turn to determine our own fate with their votes. My people should not come to me to complain about the situation after all this process ends since I warn them beforehand.``
Turkish government wanted the number of Turkish Cypriot people voting ``yes`` to the plan to be more than those saying ``no``, Denktas stated.
Denktas said that all other parties and institutions in Turkey were doubtful and pointed to problematic parts of Annan plan.
The National Security Council (NSC) stated that it was the government who was responsible for the developments in Cyprus issue, Denktas noted. He said, ``but, the NSC pointed to some problems related with the plan.``
Denktas stated that since they had not bargained before sitting at negotiation table, they had not succeeded in the talks.
Criticizing the method of negotiations, Denktas said, ``they said U.N. envoy should join negotiations. I said that I would accept his participation in talks on condition that he would join as an observer. And, De Soto came to the island as an observer. He had only a small note-book and a pen in his hand those days. Then, he had a more influential position in talks. His note-book was replaced with a plan comprised of nine thousand pages. Who gave this right to him? Nobody did.``
Stating that there was not any difficulties for him, Denktas said, ``there will be elections on June 13. If number of people saying ``yes`` to the plan is more than those saying ``no`` in the referendum, I will not run my candidacy for these elections. In such a case, I will quit.``
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side had started Cyprus negotiations on February 19 in order 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`s plan.
Delegations from TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece held Cyprus negotiations in Buergenstock, Switzerland from March 24 to 31 in order to contribute to a settlement in the island.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis also joined the negotiations as of March 29.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan presented his final plan to the parties on March 31.
The final plan will be put to separate simultaneous referenda in Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides in the island on April 24.
DENKTAS: ``IF MY SON`S PARTY SAYS `YES` TO THE ANNAN PLAN, IT WILL DISAPPOINT ME``
Denktas said that if his son`s Democrat Party (DP) voted ``yes`` to United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan`s plan for Cyprus in referendum, it would disappoint him.
Denktas said, ``if we had not struggled for 30-40 years and if Turkey had not told us that Turkish Cypriots should not obey, enosis (union with Greece) would have taken place. We have prevented enosis.``
Stressing that there would not be tranquility and security in Cyprus without Turkey, he said that if a secure atmosphere was settled and Greek Cypriots showed that they gave up their old thoughts, present fears would be removed.
``They passed a law to commemorate September 14, Greek massacre. We are facing with those things. They said that Turkish troops should be withdrawn. We will be face to face with 700-800 thousand Greek Cypriots with an artificial agreement. They talk about a bi-zonal agreement. It is not bi-zonality that we want. Greek Cypriot side consists of hundred percent of Greek Cypriots. 33 percent of Greek Cypriots will enter Turkish Cypriot side. All Greek Cypriots will have the right to spread over the island 19 years later,`` he noted.
Stating that people had some disagreements, Denktas said, ``there is a disagreement. We should not turn it into a violence. Because there are people who are suffering. There are people who said that we gave our 30-40 years to the island, Greek Cypriots will come there and they will send away us. Everyone should be calm and wait for the result.``
Denktas said that they made some mistakes so far and noted that some problems in education system weakened the feeling of homeland and religion in youth.
Replying to a question on view of Democrat Party (DP) of which his son Serdar Denktas was the leader, Denktas said that DP was discussing whether or not members of the party would vote in favor or against the plan in the referendum and added that therefore there were people in DP who would vote ``yes`` to the referendum.
Denktas said that Serdar Denktas made great contributions to negotiations in Switzerland.
Stating that Serdar Denktas would make clear his party`s view till Sunday, Denktas said, ``I hope that the majority of DP deputies will vote ``no`` to the plan. If majority of DP deputies decline to say ``yes`` to the plan, Serdar Denktas will have to decide on his own.``
Denktas said that if DP voted ``yes`` to the Annan`s plan for Cyprus in referendum, it would disappoint him and added that but he did not have the right to ask why the party said ``yes`` to the plan.
Stating that Greek Cypriots did not lose much under the Annan plan, he said, ``according to the plan, we will not be sovereign. Rights which seemed to be granted to us will be taken away from us in time as derogations are not lasting.``
``We don`t want to be an obstacle in front of Turkey. But we are people of a state recognized by Turkey. We expect Turkey to fully protect us. If Turkey`s norms, criteria and views on Cyprus have changed, it should be said openly. Otherwise, we don`t believe that we will be protected when the Annan plan is put into practice,`` he added.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side had started Cyprus negotiations on February 19 in order 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`s plan.
Delegations from TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece held Cyprus negotiations in Buergenstock, Switzerland from March 24 to 31 in order to contribute to a settlement in the island.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis also joined the negotiations as of March 29.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan presented his final plan to the parties on March 31.
The final plan will be put to separate simultaneous referenda in Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides in the island on April 24.
(EÖ-BRC) 10.04.2004