Istanbul: Denktas critisises Greece and EU

Rauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), attended a conference in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Thursday.
"Greece makes the Cyprus issue seem like an obstacle between Turkey and its EU accession," Denktas said in the conference.

Denktas also said, "Turkish Cypriots are expected to "foist" on Greek Cypriots because only Greek Cypriots are admitted to the European Union under a false government title, and we are called "irreconcilable" just because we defend Turkish Cypriots’ sovereignty. The Greek Cypriot administration is also accepted as the administration of Turkish Cypriots. I wonder under what constitution or international treaties they will impose that on Turkish Cypriots. Cyprus consists of two nations, Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots which should be given equal rights."

"Turkey has the right to access the EU, just as Turkish Cypriots have the right to keep their sovereignty and independence. It is not an excuse to prevent Turkey from EU accession. I am not an enemy of the European Union, nor Turkey. I have struggled for reconciliation since 1968, staying firmly inside the framework of what Turkey called ‘national cause’ but it is not fair to have Greek Cypriots in the EU, excluding Turkish Cypriots," he said.