LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Monday that what was important was to reach a compromise by protecting their state.
Denktas, who issued a message on the Feast of Sacrifice, said that there were not any Turkish Cypriots who did not want compromise but a compromise did not mean surrendering and saying ''yes'' to days worse than those in 1960.
Values like state and sovereignty could not be gained again if they were lost, Denktas noted.
Denktas underlined that it was easy to found a state but it was difficult to continue the existence of a state.
They were experiencing very important days, Denktas stated. He said that their duty was to reach a compromise with the Greek Cypriots under equal conditions if possible and make a good partnership agreement without giving up their rights.
Denktas said that they could not accept United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan for Cyprus in its current shape and they were trying to change some issues in the plan.
''Implementation of the plan in its current shape will mean making our 50-60 thousand people away from their home. It will mean that bi-zonal structure will be deteriorated by the Greek Cypriots who will come and settle among us. A mixed life is foreseen in this document. We are saying that cannot consent to all these. We continue our efforts to change it. We don't want dilution of Turkey's guarantee,'' Denktas noted.
Denktas added, ''there will not be any Turkish soldiers who will protect our borders after an agreement. It will be natural that 700 thousand Greek Cypriots will come to our places. But, will they recognize our sovereignty? They don't recognize our sovereignty today. Will they respect to our traditions? They were not respectful yesterday and they have not been respectful for 40 years. Will they be respectful from now on? We can reach nowhere by waiting with hope. We have to assume an attitude by which we will provide all the things we want.''
DENKTAS-CLERIDES MEETING
Speaking to reporters following the meeting which lasted for two and a half hours, Denktas said that they defended the document which they prepared by suggestions of the TRNC parliament, and stated that they waited for a written response from Greek Cypriot side.
Denktas said the Greek Cypriot side added their views to the defense made by the Turkish Cypriot side.
Denktas said, ''only we talked. We did not receive anything from the Greek Cypriot side. Thus, nothing happened related to 'take-give' issue at the meeting.''
Denktas said that that Clerides and he would continue to hold negotiations on Friday.
Upon a question, Denktas said that the United Nations (U.N.) did not say anything regarding the third plan which could be presented to the sides and stated, ''we don't need to say anything on the issue before any serious thin is told to us on the issue.''
When a reporter said, ''Greek Cypriot side has not brought anything to the negotiation table for two weeks. They entered the election atmosphere,'' Denktas said, ''when the election process continues, it is wrong to call the two sides for the negotiations. I brought onto the agenda this issue at the meeting. Greek Cypriot side remained silent on the issue. U.N. did not say anything, either. It only took notes.''
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto will go to New York and inform Annan about negotiations.