ANKARA - Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) apologized to Turkey for the things that had happened in rallies in the TRNC.
Speaking at a symposium organized at former Senate Hall in the parliament by the Association of Turkish Parliamentarians on the issue of Cyprus on Friday, Eroglu said that timing of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan and indexation of time-table on process of accession to the European Union (EU) were not 'coincidental'.
Eroglu said, ''this plan does not aim at a just, lasting and fair solution, but it aims to create a ground that enables settlement of the EU in Cyprus. This plan targets to expel Turkey from the island and to annihilate Turkish Cypriots in course of time. This is not acceptable.''
Noting that he had concerns about issue of map and 'exchange of place' meant 'migration', Eroglu said, ''it should not be forgotten that those who say 'if we join the EU, our economy is developed' should see that thousands of Turkish Cypriots will be unemployed due to transfer of territories. Exchange of territory is not an easy thing as it is claimed by some circles. It is very difficult to build new housing units. In order to establish new villages and towns, lands which belong to Turkish Cypriots should be expropriated at first. We feel concern that these may cause fight among Turkish Cypriots.''
''As a person who has witnessed developments happened for long years in the island, I cannot digest the incidents happened in rallies in the TRNC. We believe and trust that the Turkish people, government and parliament and the Turkish Armed Forces will not allow any plan on return to period before 1974,'' Eroglu said.
Eroglu said that he felt concern that Turkish Cypriots would be pushed to a second place and the priority would be given to the Greek Cypriots if the plan was put into practice.
Big problems could be faced for long years in the process of returning the properties to their owners, Eroglu noted.
Eroglu said that the small economy could be swallowed when the strong and weak economies came across and that he felt concern that the north would economically regress more.
Noting that the rallies held in TRNC created resentment in the motherland, Eroglu said that they knew that those rallies brought onto the agenda the question if ''this was the result of the self-sacrifice made so far.''
Eroglu said, ''we are not against rallies. However, we will become weaker but the other side will become stronger by such moves in a period when we have to be a single voice and we need unity and solidarity more. Turkish Cypriot people are grateful to the motherland. We have gained our freedom with the support of the motherland. We will be sorry if these rallies are considered a move against our motherland. Some circles can think so but the majority of the people have affection for the motherland.''
The Greek Cypriot administration had assumed an attitude which made solution of the issue difficult for long years, Eroglu noted.
To this end, Eroglu said, possibility of a failure in an agreement was higher than the possibility of reaching an agreement.
TRNC President Rauf Denktas sent a message to the symposium. In his message, Denktas said that TRNC was standing as a model for modern countries with its state and democratic institutions, stating that rights which were gained were depended on right to become a state rising on the basis of freedom, independence and sovereignty. He said, ''the solution which we have been looking for should rise on this basis. This is our struggle.''
Association of Turkish Parliamentarians Chairman Zeki Celiker said that no body would oppose a plan bringing political equality and opening way of EU to Turkish Cypriot people and noted that but the plan should be examined carefully.
Stating that he felt sad about Denktas's facing with accusations which he did not deserve, Celiker said, ''we should support Denktas as a single voice to solve Cyprus issue in a way which is appropriate for our national interests.''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayir, Culture Minister Huseyin Celik, True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar, Turkish Cypriot Peace Force Gen. Nurettin Ersin attended the symposium.