LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas signaled on Friday that he would not run his candidacy for the TRNC presidential elections to be held in the following year.
Denktas, who spoke to Turkish Agency-Cyprus (TAK), pointed out that TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas might be candidate presidents in the elections to be held in 2005.
TRNC President Denktas added, ''I have done my best during my term in office. It won't be beneficial if I continue to be in the office. I also thought the same in the previous elections, but I sincerely decided to continue to be in the office. Also, Turkey's pressure was effective on my decision. I will be 82 next year. It is my right to live the rest of my life on my own if I have some more days to live. Therefore, my family and I don't think of my candidacy. There are people who have been raised in TRNC like Talat and Serdar. They raise my people's hopes.''
Talat and Serdar Denktas formed a coalition government after the parliamentary elections held in TRNC in December 2003.
(BRC-AÖ) 14.05.2004