Denktas Meets With Clerides

The negotiation process in Cyprus resumed on Wednesday after a period of 3.5 months.
President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides came together at the United Nations Conference Hall in the buffer zone.
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto was also in attendance at the meeting.
President Denktas and Clerides will continue their talks at the luncheon, and try to set a schedule for negotiations.
The meeting was closed to the press.
Meanwhile, President Denktas is expected to make a statement after the meeting.
RALLY HELD IN TRNC TO SUPPORT DENKTAS
''Gazimagusa Region Non-Governmental Organizations Action Committee'' formed by 19 NGOs and 27 head offices of villages held a rally on Wednesday to extend support to TRNC President Rauf Denktas.
The slogan of the meeting was ''yes to peace, no to immigration and Greek Cypriot immigrants among us, and full support to President Denktas.''
The people who addressed the rally held in Namýk Kemal Square said that an agreement upon the basis of Annan plan would destroy the Turkish Cypriots, criticizing those who want solution on the basis of the plan.
People carried Turkey's and TRNC's flags in their hands and they shouted slogans saying ''We Don't Trust Other Guarantors Other Than Turkey'' ''We are the Silent Majority'' ''We Won't be Another Crete in 21st Century,'' ''Yes to EU Membership with Honorable and Permanent Solution,'' 'Yes to Two States, No to Cantonal System,'' and ''Karpaz can't be given.''
The attendees in the rally shouted ''Wherever Denktas is, we are there,'' ''No To Kofi Annan Plan,'' ''We Don't Want to give up ties with Turkey.''
Addressing the rally, the general coordinator of the National People Movement's Taner Etkin said that the Turkish Cypriot people won't give up their sovereignty, state, territory, equality, effective and active guarantee of Turkey.
''We don't accept the Annan plan which will make Turkish Cypriots a slave of Greek Cypriot society because the plan ends our sovereignty, existence, our state, it does not take into consideration our equality, it wants us to break ties with Turkey. We will be in solidarity with Turkey, and we won't say to an agreement which won't take into consideration our sovereignty, state existence and equality,'' he said.

PARLIAMENT SPEAKER ARINC HOLDS A PRESS CONFERENCE IN TRNC
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said on Wednesday, ''it is not possible to accept the idea defending that let's enter the European Union (EU) at any cost, as the basic element in efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus question.''
Arinc held a press conference on the last day of his official visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Noting that his visit to the TRNC was more than an official visit, Arinc said that the accompanying delegation and he had held very beneficial and constructive meetings.
Recalling that they had held contacts with leaders of political parties and representatives of nearly 60 non-governmental organizations in the TRNC, Arinc said that Turkish Cypriots care about their motherland Turkey.
Referring to the plan which was presented to the sides in the island by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, Arinc said, ''Turkey has been assessing the plan carefully. We explained our reservations about the plan clearly. In such a critical period, such approaches insulting President Rauf Denktas will make everything more difficult for the TRNC. During our contacts, we stressed that everyone should act carefully in such a sensitive period. We consider continuation of the negotiation process beneficial.''
''After returning to Turkey, I will inform President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Abdullah Gul on my contacts in the TRNC,'' he said.
Arinc told reporters, ''200 thousand Turkish Cypriots can think that the EU is their last chance, and that the EU membership may put an end to all their difficulties. However, we should consolidate these ideas with concrete proposals by taking into consideration the fact that the negotiation process is carried out together with the Greek Cypriot side.''
''It is impossible to consider the opinion of 'whatever happens, we should join under their flag by making EU maps a flag' the essential factor in solution of the Cyprus issue. So we should be determined in the process we have recorded so far and we have to believe in our case. And we have to continue defending our case with the same confidence as we did in the past,'' he said.
Noting that they were leaving the TRNC with hopes and that very good days would start soon for the TRNC, Arinc said that the TRNC's unity and solidarity should not be destroyed especially by giving the other side an opportunity during such a process.
''However, it would not be very easy for fair people to see dragging of this case into some other fields and to welcome insults and criticisms against historical personalities who have exerted great efforts so far. This unity has brought all of us to these days and tranquility has been dominant over Cyprus. So we of course consider it very important for the future of our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters if there is a plan which includes four basic factors; that are, bi-zonal structure, sovereignty, political equality and Turkey's effective and de facto guarantee, or formulates these in the best way,'' he said.
Later, Arinc answered questions of reporters.
Replying a question which said, ''there were also banners which showed Turkish army as if it was an invader, in yesterday's rally in Lefkosa. What do you think about this?'' Arinc said that opening such a banner is inappropriate, ugly and bad and he added that probably only a few people among 200 thousand Turkish Cypriots think this way. He said that Turkey used its right, as a guarantor country, for saving the lives and property of Turkish Cypriots.
Noting that if there are people who try to use these rallies to weaken the opportunities of Turkish Cypriot side and cooperate with Greek Cypriot side, this can only be considered as betrayal to Turkish Cypriots, Arinc said, adding that he feels sorry for those who consider Turkey as an invader country.
Upon a question whether current developments caused a polarization in TRNC, Arinc said, ''we can surely be tolerant for different views. But it attracts attention that these views cause polarization among people and open criticisms which can sometimes be degrading, and these criticisms take a shape to the benefit of Greek Cypriots; it attracts attention that they had started preparations much earlier neglecting all these instead of looking for unity among themselves on national issues. This is wrong.''
Arinc said that he had some suggestions that they can preserve differences but should rapidly get rid of polarization while giving a very important decision for Cyprus in this very critical period.
Upon another question, Arinc said that everybody should show a common sense after the current developments in TRNC and added that Turkish Cypriots should act together in such a period.
Arinc and accompanying delegation will visit Guzelyurt, Gazimagosa and Maras and Eastern Mediterranean University today.
ARINC: ''PEOPLE SHOULD NOT GIVE UP BACKING DENKTAS''
Arinc said that everybody can have different views about Cyprus issue after the recent developments, adding that yet this right does not give the right to people who lived together for years to have hostile feelings about each other.
He said, ''I don't believe that there is a person who tries to sell this country or attempts to assume a hostile attitude toward the country. Some exaggerated scenarios might be written. People should not give up backing TRNC President Rauf Denktas while he prepares to sit at the negotiation process, this means betrayal to Turkish Cypriots.''
Arinc said that they were monitoring developments in TRNC and noted that they knew very well who is aiming at what and who wants the issue to be brought to which position with secret or open relations.
Parliament Speaker Arinc departed from Guzelyurt.
Arinc and the accompanying delegation visited METU Guesthouse fruit juice facility earlier in the day.
Denktas: TURKISH CYPRIOTS DO PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS AND INDEPENDENCE
Dr. Fazil Kucuk, the leader of fight of the Turkish Cypriots for independence, was commemorated on the 19th anniversary of his demise.
President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was in attendance at the ceremony.
Later, he signed the special book of the monument.
He said, ''Turkish Cypriot people will not give its rights. The Turkish Cypriots do protect their rights and independence.''
''Dr. Fazil Kucuk, I believe that voices from the country for which you had devoted your life, sadden you. But, rest in peace. Because, the Turkish Cypriots will find the right way by acting with common-sense when all the facts are explained, and the traps in the document of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan are understood. In fact, those defending that the document should be signed, are few. All Turkish Cypriots want compromise. We cannot give up our rights. The Turkish Cypriots do protect their rights and independence,'' he said.
Besides President Denktas, Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu, Turkish Peace Forces in Cyprus Commander General Ahmet Ozteker, TRNC Security Forces Commander General Necmettin Baykul, some ministers, deputies, relatives of Dr. Kucuk and representatives of political parties and non-governmental organizations attended the ceremony.
Dr. Kucuk was born in 1906. He started his career as a specialist physician in 1938. In 1941, he founded the newspaper ''Halkin Sesi'' and become managing editor. He established his political party the Cyprus Turkish National Party in 1945. He had struggled for 15 years against British rule to affect the transfer of the administration of Evkaf (the Moslem charitable foundation) to the Turkish community. In 1954, he intensified his campaign against Greek Cypriot demands for Enosis and also British Rule. Following the agreement between the Turkish and Greek Prime Ministers on the Cyprus problem in Zurich, he represented the Cyprus Turkish Community at the London Conference in February 1959 when he signed the London agreement on behalf of the Cyprus Turkish Community. He was elected unopposed as Vice President of the Cyprus Republic December 3, 1959 and served until 18 February 1973. On January 15, 1984, Dr. Kucuk passed away in London's Wesminister Hospital where he had been receiving treatment. He was 78.