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SERDAR DENKTAS: "IF WHAT IS GIVEN AND TAKEN IS EQUAL, THEN WE'RE ALWAYS
READY TO NEGOTIATE"
The Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Serdar Denktas, received a
delegation from the European Greens Party at the Democrat Party (DP)
Headquarters. The European Greens Party was headed by the Party Co-Chairman,
Monica Frassoni and also included the Party's Secretary General Arnolp
Cassola and MEP, Vula Tsetsi.
Speaking after
the meeting, Serdar Denktas, pointing out that representatives from the
Greens Party in South Cyprus had also attended the meeting, said they had
exchanged views regarding 17 December, the date when Turkey is expected to
get a date for accession from the EU, and the period after.
Stressing that
he believed the Greek Cypriot side wouldn't engage in efforts to veto
Turkey's EU membership, Serdar Denktas said if they did so it would be to
their disadvantage.
Explaining
that, although they wouldn't be able to use it, by saying they would use
their veto right the Greek Cypriot side would put forward a give and take
approach to the Turkish Cypriot side, Serdar Denktas said if what was given
and taken was equal, then the Turkish Cypriot side would always be ready to
negotiate.
Pointing out
that if these kind of approaches were to benefit both sides they would be
the right approaches, he said he tried to explain to the guest delegation
that although the Turkish Cypriot side voted 'yes' in the referendum they
were still being isolated and excluded and the impression was being given
that they were dependent on the Greek Cypriot side and this was not an
approach that they liked.
Stating that
these were not issues that could be explained in a one-day visit, he said
from the point of view of protecting the rights of the Turkish Cypriots,
what was necessary was for European political parties to make more foreign
visits and have contacts with various groups within the European Parliament
in order to try and lift the injustices imposed against the Turkish
Cypriots.
He said he
hoped that all parties represented in the TRNC Parliament would identify a
joint goal and establish contacts with those foreign parties closest to them
and in this way the Turkish Cypriots would be able to better explain
themselves.
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