I hoped my fellow Turkish Cypriots would vote..

During their talks, Denktas said that he hoped his fellow Turkish Cypriots would vote with common sense at the polls. Denktas himself is not up for re-election. Touching on Ankara’s European Union membership bid, Denktas said that he was not opposed to Turkey joining the EU, but added that violations of international agreements should not be a part of this process. “The EU shouldn’t make the Cyprus issue an obstacle to Turkey’s membership,” said Denktas. He added that he opposed proposals to recall Turkish forces from the island, saying their continued presence was vital.