Denktash dismisses Turkish pressure

Sticking points
“Mr Erdogan is not yet in the government, he is a party leader… he has made a very open statement that there is no difference of opinion between us,” Mr Denktash told the BBC.
“At the beginning they thought it would be easy to settle the problem if I gave in on certain points. Now they realise it is not that easy,” he added.
One of the sticking points has been the question of territory, but equally important is the nature of the new state’s constitution.
Mr Denktash says the terms of the UN plan are totally unacceptable for Turkish Cypriots.
“We are asked to accept within our territory Greek Cypriots at the rate of so many per year. They will become our citizens, they will start voting with us,” he said.
“Therefore what seem equal numbers of members at the senate, 24 Greeks, 24 Turkish Cypriots, is diluted immediately,” he added.

Popular dissent
But it seems that the majority of the Turkish Cypriot population do not share their leader’s views.
For the first time Mr Denktash is witnessing mass demonstrations against him by Turkish Cypriots.
But neither domestic pressure nor increasing criticism from abroad appear likely to alter the stance of the veteran leader in the forthcoming negotiations.