LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat`s visit to the United States proved TRNC`s existence whatever its purpose was, TRNC President Rauf Denktas said on Monday.
Denktas told reporters that he did not meet with Talat before Talat left for the United States.
TRNC President Denktas expressed hope that Talat`s visit would be beneficial.
Commenting on Talat`s visit, Denktas said that simultaneous referenda in which United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan`s plan for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem was voted in Cyprus on April 24 proved existence of TRNC, its people and republic whatever its result was.
Denktas noted that those who voted ``yes`` to the plan in TRNC would see that what was real was the existence and maintenance of the state.
TRNC President Denktas stated that Turkish Cypriots would establish partnership with the Greek Cypriots only if their existence and state were accepted and stressed that giving up those principles would mean becoming minority not establishing partnership.
There were two separate nations in the island who had proved their existence in separate simultaneous referenda held on April 24, Denktas underlined.
Denktas said that one of those nations could not dominate or represent the other and stressed that those two nations were equal.
One of those nations was not a minority living in the territory of the other, Denktas stated.
Denktas said that all those principles were registered and stressed by the referenda.
``So, I hope the Greek Cypriot side will see that it doesn`t have the right to consider us `minority` or `a nation living under occupation`,`` Denktas added.
Earlier in the day, Talat left for the United States to hold a series of meetings.
TRNC Prime Minister Talat will stay in New York for one night and proceed to Washington on May 4.
Talat will meet with U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell on May 4. He is expected to meet with United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan and other officials.
TRNC Prime Minister Talat and accompanying delegation is expected to depart from the United States on May 6 and return to TRNC via Istanbul on May 7.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side voted United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan`s plan for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem in simultaneous referenda held on April 24.
Sixty-five percent of Turkish Cypriots voted ``yes`` to the Annan plan while 35.09 percent voted against the plan in the simultaneous referenda. A total of 75.83 percent of the Greek Cypriots said ``no`` to the plan while 24.17 of them voted ``yes.``
The rate of participation in the referendum was 84.35 in TRNC and 96.53 percent in the Greek Cypriot side.
(BRC-AY) 03.05.2004