ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said, ``Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should be recognized if the Turkish Cypriot side votes in favor of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan`s plan, and the Greek Cypriot side votes against in the referendum on April 24, 2004.``
When a journalist quoted President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan as saying that if the Turkish Cypriot side said ``yes`` and the Greek Cypriot said ``no`` in the referendum, Azerbaijan would be one of the first countries recognizing TRNC, Gul said, ``if the Turkish Cypriot side votes in favor of the Annan Plan, and the Greek Cypriot side votes against in the referendum, we will do everything in our power for recognition of TRNC. Of course, such an initiative will be launched in friendly countries first.``
``In that case, all embargoes and obstacles should be lifted. The TRNC should be recognized finally. We will pay visits to friendly countries first and the European Union (EU) member countries and the rest of the world later to explain the Cyprus issue to everyone,`` he added.
AZERBAIJAN WILL BE ONE OF FIRST COUNTRIES RECOGNIZING TRNC
President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has said that if the Turkish Cypriot side said ``yes`` and the Greek Cypriot said ``no`` in the referendum on April 24, 2004, Azerbaijan would be one of the first countries recognizing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
President Aliyev, who is currently paying an official visit to Turkey, met with representatives of Turkish press organs on Thursday.
A.A Director General and President of Executive Board Dr. Hilmi Bengi and Turkish Radio and Television Corp (TRT) Chairman Demiroz were also in attendance at the meeting.
Highlighting importance of friendly relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan, President Aliyev expressed his wish that the bilateral relations would be further strengthened.
When asked, ``you said that you considered Turkey a sister country. A referendum will be held in TRNC, another sister country, in the coming days. If the Turkish Cypriot side says `yes` and the Greek Cypriot says `no` in the referendum, what will be Azerbaijan`s attitude about recognition of TRNC?`` President Aliyev said, ``we will appreciate Turkey`s attitude. Turkish Cypriots are our sisters and brothers. We do not want them to experience the bloody events of the past once again. We will respect for Turkish Cypriot people`s preference. If the Turkish Cypriot side says `yes` and the Greek Cypriot says `no` in the referendum, Azerbaijan will be one of the first countries recognizing TRNC.``
Noting that there had already been relations between TRNC and Azerbaijan, President Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan had some state officials in TRNC including a cultural attache.
He added that they invited TRNC officials to international meetings in Azerbaijan and that Azerbaijani officials attended national festivals in TRNC.
TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS CONSIDERS AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT`S WORDS A STATEMENT WHICH CAN PUT PRESSURE ON GREEK CYPRIOTS
Words of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that Azerbaijan would be one of the first countries recognizing TRNC in case Greek Cypriots voted ``no`` and Turkish Cypriots voted ``yes`` to the United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan`s plan could be considered a statement which could put pressure on the Greek Cypriots, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Thursday.
Prior to his departure for Turkey, Denktas told reporters that if sister nations had recognized TRNC long before, TRNC could have made a balanced agreement with the Greek Cypriots so far.
Denktas said, ``because, as long as a north which doesn`t acknowledge all views of the Greek Cypriots exists and as long as the world considers it the `legitimate government of Cyprus`, the Greek Cypriots still have the chance to possess the entire island.``
The Greek Cypriots had applied to the European Union (EU) for membership in order to possess entire Cyprus, Denktas noted.
Denktas said, ``therefore, we should stand firm, we should protect our state, and we should not make our sovereignty a matter of bargaining. All these three issues are of utmost importance for us.``
Cyprus issue had not started today, Denktas stated.
Denktas said that the demand of the Greek Cypriots had not changed since the Cyprus issue emerged.
Annan plan foresaw that Turkish Cypriots would live in a province which did not have sovereignty, Denktas noted.
Denktas stated that the Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos used the expression ``his minority and citizens`` when talking about Turkish Cypriots.
The Greek Cypriots wanted Turkish Cypriots as a community, Denktas noted.
Denktas said that the Greek Cypriots knew that they would take the Turkish Cypriots to the position they wanted thanks to EU norms.
``Therefore, they don`t need to say `yes` to the Annan plan,`` Denktas added.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said earlier in the day that if the Turkish Cypriot side said ``yes`` and the Greek Cypriot said ``no`` to the Annan plan in the simultaneous referenda to be held in the island on April 24, 2004, Azerbaijan would be one of the first countries recognizing the TRNC.
U.N. Secretary General Annan presented his final plan to the parties at the end of Cyprus negotiations held in Buergenstock, Switzerland on March 31.
This final plan will be put to simultaneous referenda in TRNC and Greek Cypriots side on April 24.
(AA) 15.04.2004