LEFKOSA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said, ''the Democrat Party (DP) will announce its stance about the upcoming referendum on Friday. The attitude of the Greek Cypriot administration and proposals of President Rauf Denktas of TRNC will play an important role in our decision.''
Speaking at a program on the Bayrak TV Channel (BRT), Denktas recalled that a survey was carried out among members of the DP to determine the stance of the party prior to the referendum to be held on April 24.
''Nearly 40 percent of DP members participated in the survey. They feel themselves responsible. The attitude of the Greek Cypriot administration and proposals of President Rauf Denktas of TRNC will play an important role in our decision. We will announce our decision on Friday,'' he said.
Referring to statement of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who said, ''whatever President Denktas wants to explain, he should explain it in Cyprus,'' Denktas said, ''this statement is unacceptable. Prime Minister Erdogan should talk carefully since his words harm not only President Denktas, but the whole Turkish Cypriot nation.''
Meanwhile, the list of nearly 41 thousand TRNC citizens of Turkish origin was submitted to the United Nations overnight.
Those who migrated from Turkey to the TRNC should have lived in TRNC for at least seven years and spend at least one year of the last five years in TRNC to get citizenship of the United Cyprus Republic.
The list will be announced after foundation of the United Cyprus Republic.
(UK-AY) 12.04.2004