DENKTAS ADDRESSES PARLIAMENT
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday addressed the Turkish Parliament. Explaining his views on the United Nations Cyprus plan, Denktas warned that if the plan were implemented, the Greek Cypriot side would achieve its target of political union with Greece (enosis), while within two decades all the plan's benefits for Turkish Cypriots would vanish into thin air, making the island a territory under complete Greek hegemony. He charged that rather than a negotiated compromise, the plan was an imposition by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Criticizing the Cyprus policy of Ankara’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Denktas said he expected the Turkish Parliament to live up to its past decisions on the Cyprus issue, the most recent of which was passed in March 2003. Prime Minister and AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan was not present to hear Denktas’s speech, though Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and seven other Cabinet ministers were, along with nearly all parliamentarians. In addition, stressing that he would vote against the plan, the TRNC president stated that it was a mistake to support it on the assumption that if a Cyprus deal is reached, Turkey would make headway in its EU membership or would get a date to start accession talks. He also accused Europe of duplicity in its approach to Turkey. /All Papers/

GUL: “IF THE GREEK SIDE REJECTS THE UN PLAN, TURKEY WILL CAMPAIGN FOR TRNC RECOGNITION”
Turkey will launch a worldwide campaign for diplomatic recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) if the Greek Cypriots reject a UN plan proposing a united Cyprus in April 24 referendums, pledged Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday. “We’ll travel the whole world and do everything for the recognition of the TRNC,” said Gul. “It isn’t fair to punish Turkish Cypriots if the Greek side rejects the plan.” Meanwhile, the Turkish campaign immediately received backing from its longtime ally Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev, who is currently paying an official visit to Turkey, said yesterday that if the Turkish Cypriots approve the plan, while the Greek Cypriots reject it, a positive climate for recognition of the TRNC would result. “We’ll support efforts for the recognition of the TRNC and strengthen our ties with the Turkish Cypriots,” pledged Aliyev. /Turkiye/

GREEK PM KARAMANLIS: “WE WILL SUPPORT THE GREEK CYPRIOTS’ DECISION, WHATEVER IT IS”
Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis yesterday announced Athens’ stance on upcoming Cyprus referendums, saying that it would support whatever decision the Greek Cypriots make on the plan at referendums set for April 24. He added, however, that the plan’s “positive points outweigh the negatives,” indicating Athens favored accepting it. “The Greek Cypriots will make a decision on the plan and we will support them,” said Karamanlis, stating that if both Turkish and Greek Cypriots accept the UN plan, then Greece would recognize the reunified island. /Aksam/

US, UN SIGNAL TURKISH CYPRIOT BENEFITS FOR “YES” VOTE
We don’t want to see Turkish Cypriots penalized if they vote in support of the UN plan for the island while the Greeks reject it, US State Department spokesmen Richard Boucher told reporters yesterday. Asked whether Washington would recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) under such a scenario, Boucher declined to answer directly but said that the US wouldn’t leave Turkish Cypriots “out in the cold.” A high-level US official in Brussels also reportedly said that it would be difficult to continue to deny the TRNC diplomatic recognition if the Greek side rejects the plan and the Turkish side accepts it. Meanwhile, Special UN Cyprus Envoy Alvaro de Soto also said that the TRNC wouldn’t be “left alone” if it votes for the plan. /Hurriyet/

SWEDISH PM: “REJECTING TURKEY WOULD LEAD TO AN EU POLITICAL CRISIS”
The betrayal of Turkey would also cause a crisis within the European Union, warned Swedish Prime Minister Goeran Persson yesterday. “Getting a no from the EU after meeting all the criteria required for a full membership would cause tension to rise in Turkey,” Persson added. Calling Turkey a bridge between European countries and the Middle East, Persson criticized the German opposition Christian Democrats’ suggestion of a “special partnership” for Turkey in lieu of membership, branding it an “irresponsible” proposal. “Turkey expects to be treated like any other candidate country,” said Persson. “The EU shouldn’t betray it.” /Star/

VERHEUGEN: “NEITHER TURKISH NOR GREEK CYPRIOTS WOULD BENEFIT FROM A REJECTION OF THE UN CYPRUS PLAN”
Speaking at a European Union’s donors meeting in Brussels, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen warned yesterday that neither Cyprus’ Turks nor its Greeks would see any benefit from rejecting the UN Cyprus plan in referendums set for April 24. “If the Turkish Cypriots accept the plan but the Greek Cypriots reject it, then we should take necessary steps to guarantee Turkish Cypriots that they won’t be punished,” said Verheugen. “And in such a case there will be attempts to provide the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus [TRNC] with economic support, as we don’t want to treat it unfairly.” He added that Greek Cypriots would join the EU on May 1 whatever the referendums’ outcome. /Cumhuriyet/

WESTON: “IF THE GREEK CYPRIOTS REJECT THE UN CYPRUS PLAN, WE’LL DO ALL WE CAN TO CUSHION THE BLOW ON TURKISH CYPRIOTS”
Special US Cyprus Coordinator Thomas Weston, who is currently in Brussels to attend a European Union’s donors meeting a unified island, yesterday met with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat. Speaking afterwards, Weston said that if the Greek Cypriots reject the UN Cyprus plan at referendums set for April 24, then the US would revise its Cyprus policy. "We will do everything to ameliorate the fallout [of the plan’s rejection] on the Turkish Cypriots," added Weston. /Cumhuriyet/

US PLEDGES $400 MLN AID FOR UNIFIED CYPRUS
At the opening of a preparatory donors meeting in Brussels with representatives from 34 countries, Andrew Natsios, head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), pledged to submit $400 million to a united Cyprus toward relocation and compensation costs expected to total more than $2 billion over five years. The aid is conditional on the approval of the United Nations’ Cyprus plan. The EU has already budgeted 300 million euros in aid over three years, while Britain, one of the island’s four guarantor countries, has also pledged 31 million euros and offered to cede half of its Cypriot military territory. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN TOUTS “CONSTRUCTIVE” VISIT TO JAPAN
Speaking at an Ankara press briefing on his recent trip to Japan, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that he hoped his visit would enhance bilateral relations and boost Turkey’s tourism revenues. “I held very wide-ranging and constructive meetings with Premier Junichiro Koizumi, and we discussed economic, political, and commercial issues,” he said. “This year nearly 600,000 Japanese visited exhibits in Year of Turkey activities.” He added that he had also met with both the Japanese emperor and prince. /Milliyet/