LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Friday that Turkish Cypriots were tried to be assembled in a ''Cyprus Republic'' with a decorated minority status proposal and noted that they were trying to prevent it.
Denktas told Radio Guven on the phone that everybody wanted peace but this peace should have a frame, name and status.
His people would not want to unite with Greek Cypriots as a minority and would not want United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan to be signed without any discussions on issues making Turkish side uneasy, Denktas noted.
Denktas said that the Greek Cypriot did not adopt the plan either.
Telling the Greek Cypriot administration that ''they were admitted to the EU even if they negotiated the plan or they reached an agreement with TRNC'' removed all chances for a negotiation, Denktas stated.
Denktas said that they had to stand firm and bargain.
They were not against the European Union (EU), Denktas pointed out. He said that they wanted to talk directly to the EU and that they had to be patient.
Denktas noted that Turkey was determined to continue its national case and path regarding Cyprus issue and protect national cornerstones.
They would go nowhere without Turkey, Denktas stated.
Denktas said that they had finalized necessary works on formation of committees regarding Cyprus issue and the committees would start working.
Negotiations would begin on January 7 or 8, 2003, Denktas noted.
Denktas pointed out that they would decide whether to hold direct or indirect negotiations after U.N. Secretary General's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto returned to the island.
Stating that there were ''many mistakes that could annihilate Turkish Cypriots'' in Annan's plan, Denktas said that they were working on this issue.
Pointing out that there were two ways to join the EU, Denktas said that one of them was to accept that ''everything was over and they would join the EU as a minority of the Greek Cypriots and then they would see what would happen.''
Denktas noted that the second one was to join the EU with their new partner status and through a good negotiation and not to sacrifice their rights under 1960 treaties.
They had to work patiently and calmly for the second way, Denktas said.
Asked what would happen if the Greek Cypriot administration was admitted to the EU on April 16, Denktas said that negotiations would continue in several dimensions till that day and the EU would definitely hold contacts with them till that day.
Noting that the EU was obliged to contact them, Denktas said, ''because, they want the whole Cyprus. They are aware that they admit half of Cyprus, not the whole. Negotiations will continue and the path of inclusion of TRNC in EU is open, it is not totally and endlessly closed.''
Denktas added that he would return to TRNC on Sunday and continue his treatment in Lefkosa.