Denktas says Turkish Cyprus faces a great danger

LEFKOSA (AA) – President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Saturday that they were face to face with a very big danger, stressing, "all the world insists to hand over Cyprus to Greece through European Union and within the scope of Annan plan. We are against this."

Replying to questions of A.A correspondent, Denktas said no results could be obtained from the talks which Greek Cypriots came with the claims of "legal Cyprus government" and for tactic, and noted that, "they will feel the need to sit at negotiation table with compromise if they are told that they are not the ‘legal Cyprus government’ and that they are the legal Greek Cypriot government."

Denktas said general elections that would take place in TRNC on December 14 would show to the whole world the concrete realities necessary for compromise, stressing that he believed this would have important contributions to peace and compromise.

Replying to a question about recognition, Denktas underlined that TRNC was a country which was not recognized, but a country that was accepted in the world. Denktas said, "we have trade and relations with more than 100 countries. This is the success of our tradesmen."

Denktas said they have connections with more than 60 countries through the universities, noting that they have relations with Turkish States and Islam countries in cultural sense. "We are not a country that is not accepted, we are a country which is not recognized."

When Denktas was reminded that Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, in a statement he made the previous day, expressed readiness for talks, he said, "not with me I think" Denktas said, noting that Papadopoulos did not want to talk with him. Denktas said Papadopoulos said Cyprus question would not be solved as long as Denktas existed, stressing that, "with whom he will talk to? He waits for the person to be revealed after elections."

Denktas said Republican Turkish Party (CTP) was getting ready for this, but that he noted, "we will sit at negotiation table together with Turkey".

"This means he does not have any confidence in himself. Turkey will support him. They continuously attacked us as we carried out talks with Turkey," Denktas noted.

Speaking about his visits to various regions of Turkey in the past few weeks, Denktas said Anatolia felt the need to learn the realities on Cyprus question. He said, "Anatolia should have information. I see that we are face to face with a very big danger. All the world insists to hand over Cyprus to Greece through European Union and within the scope of Annan plan. We are against this. Turkey says it is loyal to its rights in 1960 agreements. Let us believe in ourselves and have confidence. Let us believe in Turkey, have confidence in it."