Denktas: Cyprus Did Not Apply To E.U.

BURSA (A.A) - 01.05.2002 - President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Wednesday the Greek Cypriot side could never represent Turkish Cypriots at the European Union (EU), adding, ''Cyprus did not apply to the EU. Greek Cypriots applied to it. Greek Cypriot is not Cyprus.''
Denktas was presented ''Honorary Doctorate'' on 'International Affairs and Politics'' by the Uludag University Senate in a ceremony.
Addressing professors and students of the university in the ceremony, Denktas said that he knew that this doctorate was actually given to the Turkish Cypriots.
Denktas recalled that a balance of peace had been formed between Turkey and Greece under the Lausanne Treaty but Cyprus had been left to Britain under the same document.
Noting that Greek Cypriots had done everything to intimidate Turkish Cypriots after Britain had started to rule the island, Denktas said that Greek Cypriots which had given the start for terrorist acts in 1950s for the sake of ''Enosis'' had ''destroyed the partnership republic'' in 1963 despite the 1960 agreements which reiterated the balance at Lausanne in a way covering also Cyprus.
Denktas said that the Cyprus issue had started on that date but the Greek Cypriot side deceived the world by saying that Turks ahd started the Cyprus issue by landing on the island in 1974.
Stressing that Cyprus was tried to be put as the biggest obstacle in front of Turkey in its accession process, Denktas said that those who could not put Ireland in front of Britain and put terrorism in front of Germany and say to Greece, ''you are the side which started the issue so solve it'' were saying to Turkey, ''you can come after solving it'', which was very meaningless.
Recalling that EU officials were saying that this island was very important for their bloc when they asked ''why do you have suh an enmity against Turkish Cypriots and why do you adopt such an attitude against Turkey?'', Denktas said, ''Cyprus is geopolitically important also for Turkey and Turkey's this geopolitical right is mentioned in international agreements and it sacrificed its sons in order not to have others possess this right. If Cyprus is geopolitically important for the EU, it should accept Turkey's membership, protecting this right through Turkey.''
Regarding the Greek Cypriot side's EU candidacy, Denktas said, ''the EU tells that 'Cyprus has made an application and it is one of the best candidates in terms of economy and politics. So also the Turkish Cypriots should board this train.' However, this is not a Cyprus train but it is Greek Cypriot train. Cyprus has not applied to the EU but the Greek Cypriots made an application. Injustice in Cyprus is so serious as far as violation of the Lausanne Treaty. Turkey will not give in to this game. If Turkey's position and situation had been only saving lives of Turkish Cypriots, it would have opened its doors to us and embraced each Turkish Cypriot and there would not have been Turkish Cypriots issue.''
Denktas added, ''if they include Cyprus in the EU without Turkey, the Greek Cypriot side would achieve the thing which it could not achieve through use of arms and terrorism.''
Calling on the European Parliament, the EU and U.N. Security Council officials to find a scientific and realistic answer to the question of ''What is Cyprus question?'', Denktas said, ''Greek Cypriots who occupy the governing authority by saying 'I am the legal Cyprus government' continue their threats and armament and their policy of possessing whole Cyprus by telling lies to the world.''
''Why did I start to meet Clerides? Because, I saw a very serious danger. People responsible for the EU say, 'we will take Cyprus even if there will be agreement or not. Turkey is bluffing. Turkey caanot prevent this. Turkey does not have the right to prevent this under the 1960 agreements'. I know that Turkey will expend efforts for solution till the very last minute and support us and our efforts. But I also know that Turkey will use its legal rights if the EU says 'I accepted Cyprus' membership' despite all our efforts, and this creates a crisis. It would be a crisis which also shakes the EU and the Turkish-Greek blanace, and there would not be compromise. We do not want this. I sincerely believe that if there would be a good diagnosis and the Greek Cypriots are told 'you can't represent the Turkish Cypriots', this issue could be solved peacefully,'' Denktas said.