LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Tuesday that he had no quarrel with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Replying to a question on different views between Erdogan and him, Denktas said that there could be different views and noted that he had no quarrel with Erdogan. ''We need Turkey. Cyprus is an important security issue for Turkey,'' he stated.
Noting that 70 percent of youths between 18 and 24 years old in Greek Cypriot side were against the U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan on Cyprus and they wanted to join the European Union (EU) with their current status, Denktas said that 70 percent of youths between 18 and 24 years old in Turkish Cypriot side would vote in favor of the Annan plan in order to join the EU.
When reminded that Greek Cypriot communist AKEL party asked the U.N. Security Council to make resolution on guarantees, Denktas said that if guarantees that AKEL Party wanted were given, Turkey's rights on Cyprus would end.
Denktas said that AKEL Party said that they should say 'no' to the Annan plan and it was a tactic, adding that Greek Cypriot side would vote in favor of the plan.
Stating that Greek Cypriots struggled to own Cyprus through the EU, he said that Annan plan gave Greek Cypriot side what they struggled for.
Replying to a question, Denktas said that Greek Cypriot side did not give up enosis (union with Greece) and noted that accession to the Union with the Annan plan was the victory of Hellenism.
Denktas said that youths would determine the future of Cyprus.
Denktas asked Turkish press to write accurate news stories and noted that he visited Yesilirmak village and he got impression that people in Yesilirmak would vote against the Annan plan.
(EÖ-AY) 20.04.2004