Denktas: I May Withdraw

Following the elections, Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktas started to receive the leaders of the political parties, which passed the national threshold, on Wednesday so as to decide who will form the government. M. Ali Talat, the leader of the Republican Turk Party (CTP), asked from Denktas to transfer over his post as the negotiator, to the government. Denktas responded that he would consult jurists on the issue. He said that it was a Constitutional matter and that, “I gave long years of my life to negotiations. I have no persistence on the issue. I will ask this to the President of the Supreme Court. Any way, as the President, I am following up everything. This is not an issue that will give way to formation or destruction of a government.”

Denktas also told Talat that the “national government” he desired was a broad-leaning one, that could not be destroyed by one or two adverse votes. Talat said that they approached warmly to the idea of a “national agreement government” until May 1,2004, when Greek Cyprus will become a full member of EU, with a vision of solving the Cyprus issue. According to Talat, it is possible to form a government that would include all the parties, just as what Denktas wanted. Talat said, “There is no party other than us that has the possibility to form a government. Perhaps it is not hundred percent definite that we will form the government, however, we have the highest chance.” Talat said that they had not started official negotiations with other parties yet.

What Do Leaders Say?
Serdar Denktas, Leader of democrat Party (DP): “The will of our people points directly at a desire of a consensus. It is desirable to form an agreement government including all of the parties. “

Mustafa Akinci, Leader of Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH): “The things we value are entering to EU in May as United Cyprus and making Turkey get a date from EU to commence accession talks.”

Dervis Eroglu, Leader of National Unity Party (UBP): “Establishing a national government is an alternative. Our main principle is attaining an agreement by preserving the acquired right of Turkish Cypriots at the same time. There is no such thing in the Constitution that the Prime Minister is the negotiator.