ISTANBUL (AA) - ''We are somewhat frightened by Russian President Vladimir Putin's supporting UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan because this plan has been destroyed,'' President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Wednesday.
Denktas spoke to A.A correspondent at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport prior to his departure for the TRNC.
Asked to comment on the telephone conversation of Putin with Annan in which he said, ''We do not think that the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots is fair'' and that Russia supported Annan Plan, Denktas said, ''Turkey's rapprochement with Russia is a great profit.''
Denktas said Putin earlier made statements like, ''both parties should find a solution by reaching an agreement. Let Cyprus unite'', noting that, ''however, his support to Annan plan made us frightened as this plan was destroyed. Actually both parties have reservations about the contents of the plan. This is a demolition plan for Turks which will put half of our people to the position of refugee. It is a plan which dilutes all our acquisitions, uproot Turkey from the island, brings EU to Cyprus in strategic sense, and brings British bases and Americans in Cyprus. Thus, this is a plan which Russia will not like much.''
Denktas said, ''I hope he said the parties should seek on which points they can agree by looking at the contents of the plan.''
2005-01-12