TRNC President Rauf Denktas, participating in the "Gundem Ankara" program broadcast on Turkey’s Channel-A, which was also jointly broadcast on BRT-1, evaluated the latest developments on the Cyprus issue.

Stressing that the EU’s package of measures directed towards the Turkish Cypriots ignored the existence of the TRNC and made the Turkish Cypriots dependent on the Greek Cypriot administration, President Denktas reminded that following the EU’s announcement of the package, remarks were made from the Greek Cypriot administration to the effect that "this is our package, it was prepared in cooperation with us".

The President said: "We talked with the EU Representative. He was compelled to say to us that ‘the Cyprus Republic exists and our agreements are with it, and this package was prepared within this framework.’ We had some questions for him, but we don’t know whether he’ll respond or not, we are waiting."

Giving information on the EU package, President Denktas said: "These have no meaning. This is an approach directly aimed at ignoring the existence of the TRNC and making us dependent on the Greek Cypriot government. We did not want this from the EU. We asked for help to ease or lift the existing and continuing embargoes imposed on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which were not approved by the UN. We asked them ‘to have direct cooperation’ with us. We said to them: ‘Why can’t we export from our ports. You can appoint an officer there and carry out the necessary inspections and export from our ports.’ I don’t know whether we’ll receive a reply, but this is what we talked about."

Referring to the Greek Cypriots’ EU application, President Denktas said the Greek Cypriot administration’s EU membership was contrary to international agreements.

He added that some circles were adopting the wrong approach that Cyprus could enter the EU without Turkey and added that in the event of entering the EU without Turkey, the Turkish Cypriot people would be degraded to a minority position.

Referring to the decision taken by the TRNC government to ease border restrictions between the two sides, the President said the opening of the gates paved the way for the two peoples to see the island’s realities more clearly.

Stressing that while opening the gates they did not think about economic aspects but political reconciliation, President Denktas said a good result was achieved from this situation.

Pointing out that reciprocal compensation and exchange should be realized as soon as possible and that both peoples by mutually filing cases could defend their rights, President Denktas said in the event of not being satisfied with the result, they would also be able to apply to the European Court of Human Rights.

The TRNC Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Tahsin Ertugruloglu, was awarded a prize by the Foundation of Writers and Artists (TURKSAV) because of his determined stance and approach that he has displayed on the Cyprus issue.

Speaking at the award ceremony, which was organised by the Turkish World Writers and Artists Foundation, Ertugruloglu expressing his pleasure on receiving the award, said peace has prevailed in Cyprus since 1974, whereas peace agreements couldn’t be achieved because of the wrong policies of the international arena.

Pointing out that the struggle of the Turkish Cypriots’ has not yet finished Ertugruloglu said: "The struggle not to lose our gained rights at the negotiating table still continues. Cyprus is the honour of the Turkish Cypriot nationality, virtue and future."