Denktas: If You Vote Yes For The Plan, It Is The Whole Island They You Will Lose

ANKARA - President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Friday that, ''if you vote 'yes' for the plan it is whole Cyprus you will lose. It is your freedom, sovereignty and equality.''
Speaking at Ankara's Esenboga Airport prior his departure for the Island, Denktas referred to the statements of former Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides in which he said, ''listen and rely on what I say. Vote 'yes' to the plan. If we can not solve the problem with this plan, recognition of the Turkish side will create a very big danger.''
Denktas said, ''being your negotiator for so many years, I say you will lose whole of the island, your freedom, your sovereignty and equality if you vote 'yes' to the plan.''
Denktas said Greek Cypriot main opposition party (DISI) leader Nikos Anastasiadis stated that 100-130 thousand Greek Cypriots would return their homes, ''however, the Turkish Cypriot side was told that 35-40 thousand Greek Cypriots would return.''
Denktas said, ''return of 100-130 thousand Greek Cypriots means moving of the same number of Turkish Cypriots from their places.'' He said this was not rehabilitation plan.
Denktas said, ''I am once again resorting to the conscience of Turkish nation. Funeral of the TRNC which was recognized, raised and fed by Turkey and for which many Turkish soldiers died would take place on April 24 if Turkish Cypriot people continued to be indoctrinated to vote 'yes' in the referendum.
(AY) 16.04.2004