Speaking at the Turkish Grand National Assembly yesterday (15 April) President Denktas called upon the Turkish MPs and said in the April 24 referendum, one day after (23 April) the anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, the Turkish Cypriot people would determine the fate of the 21 year old TRNC. Pointing out that if the press’ influence on the people became successful, after the April 24 referendum the TRNC would be eliminated, President Denktas said he was speaking at the Turkish Grand National Assembly so as to prevent this.

Warning that Cyprus had entered a process where the Turkish National Security Council’s decisions were disregarded, President Denktas said this process was not in line with the decisions taken by the Turkish National Security Council.

Explaining that through the EU, Enosis was on the verge of being achieved in Cyprus and the Annan Plan was supporting this path, the President underlining that a settlement should be based on the principle of political equality and the sovereignty of the two states, said this principle was not envisaged in the Annan Plan and it did not bring a just and permanent settlement.

Pointing out that the Annan Plan diluted the equal status of the two sides and made a complete mess of the property issue, President Denktas said a settlement at any cost could not be accepted in Cyprus.

Explaining that the Greek Cypriot side wanted EU membership because it wanted to take over the whole of Cyprus and that the EU by encouraging the Greek Cypriots had followed an incorrect path on the Cyprus issue, President Denktas said the EU was a means for the Greek Cypriots to get rid of the Turkish military presence in Cyprus.

Pointing out that the Annan Plan diluted Turkey’s guarantorship rights over Cyprus, the President said Turkey’s gurarantorship rights would only remain on paper and the Greco-Turkish balance was being destroyed. He said Turkey would lose her right of intervention.

Warning that on implementing the Annan Plan, conflicts would arise in Cyprus, President Denktas said even the UN had admitted that they expected conflicts on the island.

President Denktas also said the EU as a result of Greece’s initiatives violated the 1960 Agreement and accepted the Greek Cypriot side’s unilateral EU membership application and acted with the belief that the Turkish Cypriot side would run after the Greek Cypriot side for EU membership and once it realised that they were mistaken it started to impose pressure on Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.

Explaining that in this Plan gurantorship rights stemming from the 1960 Agreements would only be on paper, President Denktas said: "After 2018, the number of the Guarantor Forces will drop to 650 and with the aim of completely demilitarising the island, the time when the guarantor forces will be completely withdrawn from the island will be discussed every three years. This will give the Greek Cypriots an opportunity to make constant agitations and provocations on this issue. Those who know what the Greek Cypriots had tried to do on this issue between 1963-74, will appreciate that the Greek Cypriots will constantly make this issue a matter of discomfort and complaint".

President Denktas stated that as a lawyer and the President he wouldn’t sign the referendum law because he believed it was contrary to the Constitution.

Pointing out that the Speaker of the TRNC Parliament, Fatma Ekenoglu, who will be acting on his behalf while he is in Ankara, could sign the referendum law if she wanted, the President said: "I don’t want to take this responsibility, I’m leaving you with a big responsibility and I’m sure you’ll make your decision after carefully thinking about the situation".

The referendum law, referred to as the ‘The Public Referendum Law (Special and Temporary Rules) Regarding A Settlement of the Cyprus Issue, was signed by Fatma Ekenoglu, Acting President and Speaker of the TRNC Parliament. Ekenoglu, pointing out that the law had been sent to the State Printing Office so that it could be published in the Official Gazette, said the referendum process has started.

Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers yesterday (15 April) officially started the referendum process.

Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, who is currently in Brussels to attend the Donors Conference on the Cyprus issue, on 14 April, participated in a panel organised by European Parliament MP, Andrew Duff.

Speaking at the panel, Prime Minister Talat pointed out that although the Annan Plan could be criticised it was a balanced and sustainable plan.

Asked what further steps could be taken by the Turkish Cypriot side to overcome Greek Cypriot concerns, the Prime Minister replied that the Turkish Cypriot side was not in a position to give any further guarantees and that they had already given enough guarantees on the Plan and had done whatever they had promised to do. He said this should be enough.

Meanwhile, the preparatory meeting for the Donors Conference, which is expected to take place in the beginning of autumn if the two sides vote ‘yes’ in the April 24 referendum, took place yesterday (15 April).

In addition to the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides, the meeting was also attended by Turkey, the USA, the UK, Germany, France, Japan and Spain, as well as high-level representatives from 38 countries, the UN, EU, IMF, World Bank, International Migration Organisation, the European Development Bank, important EU organs, important institutions of the UN, various organisations and financial and support institutions.

Meanwhile, EU Enlargement Commissioner, Gunter Verheugen, said if the Turkish Cypriot side voted ‘yes’ and the Greek Cypriot side voted ‘no’, in the referendum new initiatives would be taken in order to prevent the Turkish Cypriot side from being punished for this and to put an end to the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.

Pointing out that whatever the outcome of the referendum was, the Greek Cypriot side would become an EU member on 1 May, Verheugen said, the Greek Cypriots would benefit from some advantages of EU membership, but the Turkish Cypriots would have nothing. He said this was an unfair situation and he would do his best to prevent this.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Serdar Denktas, speaking to reporters after yesterday’s (15 April) Council of Ministers meeting said with its decision to have a referendum on 24 April, the Government was following the UN process and called upon the Turkish Cypriot people act with maturity, not to cause trouble or problems and to respect one another in the referendum as well as not to forget that whatever the outcome everyone would still continue to live together.

Stating that they would not accept postponing the referendum, Serdar Denktas said, however, if the Greek Cypriot side was also ready to postpone its own EU accession process this could be re-evaluated by the Government, President Denktas and Turkey.

Criticising rumours to the effect that if the TRNC voted ‘yes’ and the Greek Cypriot side voted ‘no’, the TRNC would be recognized, Serdar Denktas said unless the UN resolution not to recognise the TRNC was lifted this would not be possible. Stating that the Turkish Cypriots shouldn’t deceive each other, Serdar Denktas said, while initiatives were being sought to lift the embargoes, such an outcome could help to find a ground but this didn’t mean that the embargoes would definitely be lifted.

He added that whatever the outcome of the referendum, the reality that Cyprus has two owners would once more be underlined.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan would be amongst the first countries to recognise the TRNC if the Greek Cypriots said ‘no’ and the Turkish Cypriots said ‘yes’ in the upcoming referendum on the island on 24 April.

Speaking during an official visit to Ankara, President Aliyev in a press conference yesterday (15 April) said: "Whatever Turkey’s stance may be, we will welcome it with appreciation. The Turks living in Cyprus are our brothers. We do not want the bloody events of the past to be repeated. The Turks in Cyprus should live freely in their own land. Whatever the people say, that should be respected and we respectfully welcome the people’s decision. If such a development takes place we will evaluate its international effects. Whatever is for the TRNC’s benefit, Azerbaijan will be amongst the first to ensure".