"I will explain all facts to our people as of March 22"

LEFKOSA (AA) – President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said, "we received information saying that Greece would do nothing at the four-party conference that is expected to start on March 24 under the negotiation process in Cyprus, and open the way for United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to fill in the blanks. I will explain all facts to our people as of March 22."

TRNC Immigrants’ Association held a rally in Namik Kemal Square in Gazimagusa on Saturday.

Addressing participants of the rally on the phone, President Denktas said, "I understand your fears and concerns. You are worried about losing our sovereignty and equality and becoming immigrants under the rule of the Greek Cypriot side. I have been carrying out the negotiation process with the authorization given to me by Turkey and TRNC Parliament to reach an agreement that will protect our state, sovereignty, political equality and Turkey’s influential and de facto guarantee. We have entered the last phase in the negotiations, but failed to start the give-and-take process. At this point, Turkish side’s sovereignty and Turkey’s rights are not accepted. The Greek Cypriot side has been trying to protect its old rights."

Recalling that Turkey and Greece would participate in the negotiation process as of March 24, TRNC President Denktas said, "we received information saying that Greece would do nothing at the four-party conference, and open the way for United Nations Secretary General Annan to fill in the blanks. Turkish Cypriot people will make their decision in the referendum by taking into consideration whether Turkish side’s proposals to change some parts of the Annan’s plan were accepted. I will explain all facts to our people as of March 22."

"Turkish Cypriot people will join the European Union with an agreement which is equivalent to the agreements of 1960 by protecting its all rights," he added.

Meanwhile, speaking at the rally, Turkish Cypriot people said that the Annan Plan could not be accepted with its current shape. They said that if Turkish side’s sine qua nons were not included in the Annan Plan, they would say ‘no" in the referendum on April 20. They enumerated the sine qua nons as state, bi-zonal structure, Turkey’s influential and de facto guarantee, continuation of presence of Turkish soldiers in the island, political equality, sovereignty and solution of the issue of properties with compensations.