LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Tuesday, ''the Cyprus question is at crossroads. I fear that United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's initiative will result in a dispute.''
Speaking at the International Cyprus Conference, President Denktas said, ''Annan's plan is unacceptable. Changes, which were made in the plan, did not respond to our expectations. The plan grants individual rights to the Greek Cypriot people. It is not an appropriate method to resolve a dispute. Such an attitude can only escalate tension.''
''There has been an ethnic dispute in Cyprus. The two sides separated from each other and founded their states. Peace cannot be settled in the island by bringing the sides together again. We all see an important example of it between Israel and Palestine,'' he said.
President Denktas noted, ''according to the plan of United Nations Secretary General Annan, the last Turkish soldier will leave the island after Turkey becomes a member of the European Union (EU). Annan told us that there were sensitive balances in the plan and that only a few changes would be made.''
Underlining that the plan recognizes the title deeds of Greek Cypriots, but does not recognize the title deeds of Turkish Cypriots, Denktas said that ''this is openly to take side with the Greek Cypriots.''
''According to the plan, Greek Cypriot state will be formed by 100 percent Greek Cypriot population. On the contrary, there will be more than 28 percent Greek Cypriot population in Turkish Cypriot state,'' Denktas said.
''I do not have the right to resort to referendum about the plan. This rights belongs to the government. I do not suppose that our government will resort to referendum about the plan and play a dangerous game over future of our people,'' he added.
(UK-AÖ) 04.03.2003