Denktas: If Both Turkish And Greek Cypriots Vote Yes, Turkish Cypriots Can't Hold Their Head High

KARPAZ - If both Turkish and Greek Cypriots said ''yes'' to United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan for a comprehensive settlement of Cyprus problem, Turkish Cypriots could not hold their head high, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President said on Saturday.
Denktas visited some villages in Karpaz including Dipkarpaz, Sipahi and Yeni Erenkoy and explained his people why they should vote ''no'' to Annan plan in the simultaneous referenda to be held in Cyprus on April 24.
TRNC President Denktas expressed thought that Greek Cypriots would say ''no'' to the plan on April 24.
Asked about recent decision of the Greek Cypriot AKEL party to back the plan in case U.N. Security Council and European Union (EU) gave assurances for the implementation of the plan, Denktas said that tendency of saying ''no'' to the plan was a show of the Greek Cypriots and noted that the Greek Cypriots was acting so for bargaining.
Denktas said, ''we did not know with whom and for what they were bargaining. But, we have learned that they were bargaining with the Security Council and the U.N. Secretary General. Today, they let it slip out of their mouth by mistake. Now that they see that Turkish Cypriot people have a tendency to say ''yes'' to the plan, they have announced everything. I think that the Greek Cypriots will say ''yes'' to the plan. If we also say ''yes'', we can't hold our heads high in this country.''
Upon a question on decision of his son Serdar Denktas' Democrat Party (DP) to withhold stance on Annan plan, Denktas called on members of DP who were saying ''no'' to the plan to be beside him and work with him.
Denktas said, ''I protect my state and I don't give up my sovereignty. I don't give up Turkey's guarantee. I don't dilute bi-zonality by accepting Greek Cypriots to settle in my territory. I want a better and fair formula to solve property issue. Those who are saying ''no'' to the plan will say ''yes'' to all these issues.''
New negotiations on Cyprus were indispensable, Denktas noted.
Denktas said that nobody could say him or any other Turkish Cypriot negotiator that ''Turkish Cypriots could not want sovereignty and state'' in a new round of negotiations.
TRNC President Denktas asked his people to consider what Turkey was saying about Cyprus issue ''as a state.''
Denktas noted that a state could not be founded easily and said that ''no'' vote would be beneficial for his people.
Stating that some circles suggested Turkish Cypriots that they vote ''yes'' to the plan, Denktas said, ''we are people who will live here. If we say ''no'' to the plan, we will show the world that we protect our sovereignty and state.''
Denktas added that a ''no'' result in TRNC would strengthen Turkey's and TRNC's hand in bargaining.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan presented his final plan to parties at the end of Cyprus negotiations in Buergenstock, Switzerland on March 31.
This plan will be put to simultaneous referenda in TRNC and Greek Cypriot side on April 24.
In accordance with Annan plan, a comprehensive change was made to property regime upon demands of Turkish Cypriot side. Accordingly, the Greek Cypriots can reinstate one-third of the value and one-third of the area of their total property ownership, and to receive full and effective compensation for the remaining two-thirds. Despite opposition of the Turkish Cypriot side, the plan fully recognized the right to property of the Greek Cypriots residing in Karpaz.
Every Greek Cypriot who is at the age of 65 and a person accompany him/her and 12,500 Greek Cypriots who are the former residents of four villages in Karpaz can make use of their unlimited right of return and establishment of residence in the Karpaz villages as of the end of second year after the agreement entered into force. (The U.N. says that these people can continue to return to these villages although their number reaches the final rate of 18 percent of people of one constituent state living in the other. But, in case 18 percent quota is filled before, it won't be possible for others to make use of this quota.)
The plan foresees that the Greek Cypriots can reinstate one-third of their former properties in the Turkish Cypriot Constituent State and receive compensation for the remaining two-thirds. Greek Cypriots who will settle in Karpaz can have the right to reinstate whole of their old property and thus, this area, where titles of almost all of properties are given to the Greek Cypriots, will be in the hands of the Greek Cypriots.
(BRC) 18.04.2004