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PRESIDENT DENKTAS: "TURKEY HAS DONE ITS BEST ON CYPRUS ISSUE"
President
Denktas speaking during a visit to the Akdeniz University in Turkey, where
he met with the university's Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Akaydin, said Turkey
had done its best during the EU accession process.
Pointing out
that Turkey could not accept the conditions put forward, President Denktas
stressed that those countries who are in favour of Turkey's EU membership
should tell the Greek Cypriot Administration that they are the government of
only the Greek Cypriots. Stating that there were some countries who were
using the Greek Cypriot side's demands as an excuse to prevent Turkey's EU
membership, the President said Turkey has probably taken this into
consideration and determined her strategy. He said there was a plot to
settle the Cyprus issue in favour of the Greek Cypriots by giving Turkey an
open-ended date for accession.
Explaining that
the EU wanted to expand strategically, President Denktas said Turkey was an
indispensable part of this expansion and both the EU and Turkey needed one
another strategically. He said the EU should refrain from harassing Turkey.
PRIME MINISTER TALAT: "CLAIMING THAT A SINGLE AUTHORITY REPRESENTS THE WHOLE
ISLAND IS NOT AN ARGUMENT THAT CAN BE DEFENDED"
Prime Minister
Talat's letter written to the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, in response
to Greek Cypriot leader, Tassos Papadopoulos' speech made at the UN General
Assembly's 59th session, has been published as a UN document.
In his letter,
Prime Minister Talat reiterating the Turkish Cypriot side's believe in the
island's reunification, said: "Our belief in a bizonal, just and lasting
federal settlement based on the principles of political equality continues".
Stating Papdopoulos' allegations were meaningless and did not reflect the
realities, Prime Minister Talat said claiming that a single authority
represented the whole island was not an argument that could be defended.
The Prime
Minister said: "Instead of calling upon Turkey to contribute towards a
Cyprus settlement, Papadopoulos should call upon the UN Secretary-General to
continue his efforts in Cyprus".
Pointing out
that he was disappointed that the Greek Cypriot leader viewed the Cyprus
problem as an issue of "invasion and occupation", Prime Minister Talat said
such an approach displayed by the Greek Cypriot leader was aimed at hiding
the fact that it wasn't Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots who were guilty but,
Papadopoulos and his administration who were responsible for the
unsuccessful outcome of the UN Secretary-General's latest initiative in
Cyprus.
Explaining that
the Greek Cypriot peoples' decision in the referendum was understandable
because of Papadopoulos' negative attitude, the Prime Minister said,
however, Papdopoulos' role in misinforming the Greek Cypriot people on the
Annan Plan could not be ignored. |
