Denktas: Greek Cypriots Don't Have Right To Drag Them Into A New Referendum

LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said, ''Greek Cypriots don't have the right to drag us into a new referendum. We already gave our answer.''
Asked of his opinions about more than 50 percent of Greek Cypriots' desire for a new referendum under a public survey in the Greek Cypriot side during his meeting with Turkish Land Forces Commander Gen. Aytac Yalman in Lefkosa on Wednesday, Denktas said, ''they will run a wild-goose chase for a new referendum, but the die is cast. They don't have the right to drag us into a new referendum. We gave our answer. Also it is included in Annan's plan and if one of the sides says 'no', Annan's plan is destroyed. Also they know that we have always negotiated, are negotiating and are ready to negotiate how we can found a new partnership with Greek Cypriots and under which circumstances and conditions.''
Noting that it had been proven that Greek Cypriots did not either represent Turkish Cypriots or have the right to speak on behalf of Turkish Cypriots, Denktas said that Greek Cypriots' application to the European Union (EU) was perceived as an application on behalf of ''whole island'', which was very wrong.
Stating that the EU had made a decision preventing peace in Cyprus, Denktas said, ''now they see that they do not represent us and whole Cyprus. We hope that also the EU would make a new evaluation.''
Stressing that those who wanted to unite Cyprus were obliged to accept that Cyprus was split into two equal parts, there were two sovereign peoples that had the right to decide on their future, Denktas said that Greek Cypriots would be more amicable if those realities were accepted and told to Greek Cypriots.
Noting that the ''legal government is Greek Cypriots, and there is one Cyprus and there is one community in Cyprus'' approach could not bring anything to Cyprus for 40 years, Denktas said referendums had proven that this approach was wrong.
Stressing that both sides should be treated equally for a resolution, Denktas said, ''it has not happened so far. Due to this reason, Greek Cypriots have acted upon the belief that they had seized whole Cyprus and exerted efforts to prevent talks from reaching a successful conclusion. Now this game can no more continue. A new page has been opened and everybody has to review his status.''
(MS-AÖ) 12.05.2004