LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas has reacted to Council of Europe's (COE) decision on granting Turkish Cypriots the right to represent themselves in the COE Local and Regional Administrations General Assembly under the umbrella of ''Cyprus Republic''.
''It is an acceptable decision and political gaffe. I suppose there is not any TRNC municipality that would give in to it,'' he said.
Speaking at a meeting on Wednesday, Denktas stressed that Turkey had abstained in the vote at COE, adding, ''they held a wrong voting. They should have cast vote against it.'' Noting that ''all their efforts and fight would be wasted'' if the TRNC government and municipalities give in to the COE decision, Denktas said, ''we wanted recognition of our municipalities in a different status until unification of Cyprus as they have been separated since 1958 and have their separate existence accepted under the 1960 agreement and we wanted them to take their place in Europe. We said, 'it is considered under the constitution that would be prepared again in case of unification'. When the application which was made upon those opinions was put to vote, the Turkish delegation did not join the vote and a decision which envisages taking our municipalities under flag of 'Cyprus Republic' was made. We can't understand why the Turkish delegation did not cast vote against it.''
''I suppose they did not know about the Cyprus issue. They held a wrong voting. They should have cast votes against it. If this mistake is not corrected, the Turkish Cypriot state would be donated to Greek Cypriots in slices. Due to the mistakes which are made knowingly or unintentionally, existence of the TRNC would be handed over to Greek Cypriots by degenerating the status of the Turkish Cypriots towards an undesired direction. It is impossible to accept it,'' he said.
Recalling that he had telephoned early the same day Turkish Cypriot Mayor Kutlay Erk of Lefkosa who was currently in Strasbourg, Denktas said, ''he told me they would raise objection at several authorities. We will support them. It is an unacceptable decision and political gaffe. I suppose there is not any TRNC municipality that would give in to it.''
(MS-AÖ) 26.05.2004