LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Tuesday that there are difficulties in the country and every country have difficulties but none of the people gives up the state due to those difficulties.
Denktas issued a message on the eve of the new year.
Noting that nobody let them negotiate Annan Plan with Greek Cypriots, Denktas said that everybody forced them to sign the plan, adding that they will protect the rights of Turkish Cypriots by negotiating the plan.
Denktas said that they are working and will work for an agreement which will protect their rights, which is stronger, better and will not make people immigrants, will not bring 60-70 thousand Greek Cypriots among them and which is healthy, bilateral, depending on two sovereign but united states that can join the European Union (EU) together and agree on a map.
Noting that EU wants whole Cyprus, Denktas said that they will hold contact sooner or later and talk and agree in equal conditions. He added that they are on true path and Cyprus question will be solved sooner or later.
Denktas wished good luck in 2003 and said that he discussed Cyprus question with Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides for 7-8 months and added that they presented their requests within the information of parliament, government and Turkey and by cooperation with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto.
''Was it possible to reach a result? If they had given time and told the Greek Cypriot administration that 'they could not be the legal government of Turkish Cypriots and would never be' that 'the Turkish Cypriots were their old partner, the Turkish Cypriots had as many rights as them, they are as equal and sovereign as the Greek Cypriots. A new partnership had to be found', I think the path for an agreement would have been opened till the very end. But, they said that 'the Greek Cypriot administration would be admitted as EU member whether there was an agreement or not.' And, thus, they blocked the roads by naming the Greek Cypriots as the representative of whole Cyprus,'' Denktas said.
Denktas added, ''now, the EU has also understood that the issue is not over by saying that 'it admits Cyprus.' They want whole of Cyprus. They have to accept Turkish Cypriots as equal people and a side equal to Greek Cypriots in order to accept whole of Cyprus. If we show that we are protecting our rights, state, sovereignty and status as a whole, you will see that Cyprus will unite as a whole under the auspices of the EU. When Turkey also joins the EU, security of Turkish Cypriots will be totally ensured again like in 1960.''
They had to raise their voices for lifting of embargoes, Denktas said and went on saying, ''on one hand, we will be punished with embargoes and on the other hand, we will yield to the invitation to 'join the EU as their citizens -that is as a minority-.' If we make a mistake related with existence of a state and will of people, we will pay heavy costs.''
Denktas added, ''we hope there will not be a war in Iraq. We hope Palestinian people will agree with Israel, bloodshed will be prevented, and Palestinian people will make an agreement with Israel by having their own rights and within the scope of good neighbourhood.''