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“WEST SUPPORTS OPPOSITION PARTIES, WE REFUSE THE UN PLAN AS IT DENIES THE INHERENT RIGHTS OF THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS”

Interview with President Rauf Denktas by Hosni Mahali, “Oman Daily  Arabic” Published on 28 December 2003

Denktaþ: First of all, let me explain the reason behind the Greek Cypriots’ refusal of the plan. They disapproved it as it acknowledges several of our rights. In fact it does not grant any rights to us. Plan recognizes Greeks as the legal representative of the Republic of Cyprus, while it is ignoring the rights of the Turkish Cypriots although it mentions their rights in an independent entity.

The plan aims at settling 80 thousand Greek Cypriots in Northern Cyprus amidst the Turkish Cypriot population and grants them the right to participate in the municipal elections in the northern part of the island. This is totally unacceptable. Greek Cypriots consider Turks as a minority in relation to themselves and this has been revealed by Papadopoulos’s statements questioning how 80% can be equal to 20%. Because of this denial of the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, we refused the plan. We also cannot accept the displacement of thousands of Turkish Cypriots from their villages and homes for the sake of returning the territory to the Greek Cypriots. The plan ignores as well the details of the compensation for the Turkish Cypriots who will face a new wave of migration. I am quite sure that the UN Secretary General is not responsible for this plan he prepared and the British Envoy Lord Hannay together with the US Coordinator Weston exert efforts in coordination with the Greek Cypriots for the implementation of the plan.

Oman Daily Arabic: But we know that the Secretary General amended many clauses in the plan after you refused it. Such as the number of the Greek Cypriots to return to the northern part and also the percentage of the land from where the Turkish Cypriots will withdraw. Under these circumstances, will you approve the plan?

Denktaþ: No, never.. First of all they have to abandon their understanding recognizing the Greek Cypriots as the sole legal representative of the Island. These plans that seems to be recognizing several rights, denies our basic rights such as the right of sovereignty.

Oman Daily Arabic: But the plan mentions such a right, however within a federal state or a unified confederation..

Denktaþ: Yes, but there is no guaranty for the implementation. The plan ignores the strategic balance between Greece and Turkey which has been stipulated by the London Agreement in 1960. On the other hand, the EU policies towards Cyprus, ignore the right of Turkey for joining the EU, or in other words the EU, prefers Christian Greek Cypriots rather than the Muslim Turkey.

Also, the adherence of southern Cyprus to the EU before reaching a final settlement in the Island reflects the position of the European capitals and Washington which insistently ignores our rights. I have stressed during my last meeting with Kofi Annan in the Hague that we will not accept all these proposals, as long as they won’t comply with the interests of the Turkish Cypriots.

Oman Daily Arabic: Mr. President, since 1974 you are rejecting the solution and although you face pressures from London, Washington and the UN, Ankara is supporting you all the time, and the majority of the Turkish Cypriots as well.

Denktas: This is true and the Turkish Cypriots are still supporting me and the opposition does not exceed 30%. This opposition was against us and against our policy to attain sovereignty and independence for the Turkish Cypriots. The opposition was used to be weak, but today they started raising their voice thanks to the big financial aids from the EU, America and Britain who want to get rid of me as much as they want to get rid of Arafat. But this opposition could not get any support from the Turkish Cypriots. The share of its supporters remains the same 30% but they are getting support from the mass media in Turkey and Europe. For example, the British newspapers did not hesitate to promote this opposition claiming that it has the backing of 70% of the Turkish Cypriots who wanted a settlement for the Cypriot issue. The coming elections would prove these allegations to be false.

Oman Daily Arabic: but you should not forget that 30% is sometimes enough for handling authority with a big majority, as it happened in Turkey and this is democracy. Is there any possibility of repeating the experience of the Justice and Development Party in Northern Cyprus?

Denktas: What happened in Turkey is their internal affair and I do not want to comment on it. But I can say that the J&D Party does not aim at eliminating Turkey from the map as it is the case for the opposition here. If what you say happens, Turkish Cypriots will become a minority in a state ruled by the Greek Cypriots, similar to the Turkish minority living in Greece, an EU member, whose rights are persistently ignored. If we accept Annan’s plan our situation won’t be different form the one in Greece. The Greek Cypriots will be the owners of the island. That is why we cannot accept any solution that is not recognizing the independence and sovereignty of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Oman Daily Arabic: In this case Turkey will face a serious dilemma as European capitals impose on Ankara the condition of settling the Cypriot issue before the end of the coming year.

Denktas: Turkey did not relinguish its rights recognized in the agreement of 1960. All the Turkish Governments were against the EU membership of the Island before reaching a final settlement. Today, the EU, in an illegal way, puts pressure on Turkey to settle the Cypriot issue. This shows the European hypocrisy, who does not want Turkey in the EU. At this juncture Turkey has to decide what she wants. Either to abandon its historical and strategic rights in Cyprus in return for the EU membership, or to use Cyprus as an important card to guarantee its joining to the EU. No one is asking for Cyprus to open accession negotiations. If they say so, the Turkish Government will have to study all the factors and take the decision that will assure its national interests.

Oman Daily Arabic: Didn’t your last decision to open the borders between the two parts of the island contribute to build mutual confidence between the two parties? And will it help in settling the issue?

Denktas: Yes, it contributed to the realisation of a kind of rapprochement between the two parts of the island but it caused anxiety on the side of the officials in the southern part, as Greek Cypriots came to the northern part and witnessed with their eyes how we live freely, with democracy without needing the others in spite of all the threats, inconveniences and the embargoes we face. Officials in the south tried to prevent visits of Greek Cypriots to the northern homes and properties which they were forced to leave in 1974. Briefly, the Greek Cypriots and Athens hand in hand trying to dominate the island and the EU is supporting them. We, the Turkish Cypriots and Ankara, have to work together to tackle with this dangerous design and to reach a reasonable settlement, acknowledging the independence and sovereignty of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and its equal rights with the southern part.

Oman Daily Arabic: But what about the Turkish army occupying the island.. There are many complaints on the Turkish military presence in Cyprus at the European Court of Human Rights.

Denktas: There is no European decision accusing Turkey of occupying the island, but several people charge Ankara with the responsibility of the current situation in the island since 1974. That is why Turkey has to clarify its position as soon as possible and to take the necessary decision for supporting this position with the Turkish Cypriots.. and my responsibility here is to defend the rights of the Turkish Cypriots and to guarantee security, stability and peace in the island.

Oman Daily Arabic: Let’s say that the situation in the island will remain as it is without settlement.. knowing that the EU will open its doors to the Greek Cypriots in May. What will the Turkish Cypriots do in that case?

Denktas: We will continue defending our rights in the Northern part keeping in mind that the EU seeks for integrating a unified island. That is why, if we resist on our right to independence and sovereignty, no one can influence us. Europeans will be forced to exert pressure on Greek Cypriots to make concessions within the framework of the 1960 constitution which stipulates equal rights for Turkish and Greek Cypriots. I think that many European circles started seeing the reality and referring to our rights in the island, next to the Greek Cypriots. The opposition in the Turkish northern part of the island has to abandon its present position.. What we all have to do in Cyprus and Turkey is to confront this opposition and their followers in Turkey.

Oman Daily Arabic: But at the end, America, Britain and the European Union exert efforts to settle the Cyprus issue before the end of the next year and the Greek Cypriots will join the EU in May 2004. In this situation what will the Turkish Cypriots do? And you should not forget that America has many ways put to pressure on Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.

Denktas: Until today we lived with our dignity without needing the others. We are ruling ourselves and we aim at developing our democratic political institutions. Thanks to Turkey’s support, our economy is improving. The northern part can become a strategic zone and Europeans will be forced at the end to recognize it as the EU wants a unified island without any problem. The important thing is to resist. Everyone should know that the settlement of the Cypriot issue for the Greek Cypriots is to be the sole legal representative of the island after expelling the Turkish forces. That is why the settlement should not be the one imposed on by the Greek Cypriots. Everyone should know that we will not give up although Americans and British exert pressure on us. We will defend our rights until the end.

Oman Daily Arabic. Mr. President, in this situation, can you summarize for us your final conditions for settling the Cypriot issue, particularly that you held talks with all the Greek Cypriot Leaders, starting with Makarios finally to Clerides and Papadopoulos.

Denktash: The settlement of the Cypriot issue will be realized only through the recognition of unequivocal equality of the two parties. As long as if the European International recognition of the southern part continues, the settlement will never be reached, It is now the time that everyone sees the reality on the island. Greek Cypriots destroyed the unity of the island and initiated massacres against their partners on the island. Patience and resistance is the only way leading to our objectives of independence and freedom, which is very difficult.

Oman Daily Arabic: Mr. President, as you explained above, the Turkish side failed in explaining its cause to America and Europe as well as the UN.. But what about Arab and Islamic countries? Why don’t the Turkish Cypriots get any support from them?

Denktash: You know better than me the rules of the international game. It is a matter of interests. There was a UN resolution issued by the UN Security Council under British and American pressure and with Soviet acquiescence at that time. The resolution issued in 1983 renounces the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and prevents other States to recognize it as well. Also, our negotiations with the Greek Cypriots are interpreted by several people as our approval of a settlement in the island. That is why other countries did not recognize this republic, considering it as temporary. The Greek Cypriots, internationally recognized, exploited this situation to make propaganda against the Turkish Cypriots. It is now the time for us to be clearer and firmer in our dialogue with others. From now on, we will not negotiate unless the sovereignty of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the right of its people to live in freedom is recognised in advance. No one can impose on us any kind of settlement as long as it does not comply with the ambitions and requirements of the Turkish Cypriots. Everyone should know that the EU will not come with its army to eliminate us.