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'Turkish Cypriots won't surrender rights'
By Muawia E. IBRAHIM
KHALEEJ TIMES, 27 November 2005

NICOSIA — While celebrating independence last week, Turkish Cypriot leadership pledged to continue efforts to solve the longstanding dispute over the Mediterranean island.

The 22nd anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was celebrated with various ceremonies throughout the country with participation of the officials from Turkey and around the world.

The main ceremony took place at the Dr Fazl Kucuk Boulevard in Nicosia, with attendance of President Mehmet Ali Talat, Republic's founder Rauf Denktash and other top officials.

There was a military parade of the Turkish army, as well as an air show by the Turkish Air Force aerobatics team known as the Turkish Stars who fly supersonic jets. The Turkish Stars also performed over the town of Kyrenia.

Two Turkish Navy frigates which sailed to the Northern Cyprus were open for public visits in Kyrenia harbour.

Grand ceremony

A high-level delegation from Turkey also attended the celebrations, as well as the Turkish national men's handball team which played their TRNCs counterpart.

At a grand ceremony held to mark the event in (North Nicosia), Talat took the salute at a military parade. Stressing that Turkish Cypriots would not compromise over their "legal rights", Talat said: "The Turkish Cypriot people will never surrender or forego their rights. Everyone, the whole world should know that. We have proven this through our struggle of many years. This is not an issue of discussion in the international arena.

He accused the world of trying to break loose the Cyprus issue through not providing needed support for a solution.

"The world is looking for ways to break loose of this problem but is running into difficulties because of the international legal and political parameters.

"A solution to the Cyprus problem will be found through international support under the auspices of the United Nations, through negotiations here on the island," he noted.

The island's northern part declared independence on November 15, 1983.

The celebration, attended by thousands of enthusiast Turkish Cypriots and senior representatives of Turkey featured a colorful military parade and an aerial display.

A high-level delegation from Syria also took part in the celebrations for the 22nd anniversary of the TRNC.

Blaming the Greek side for saying "no" to a solution in the recent referendum, Mr Talat said Turkish Cypriots have always been trying for a settlement.

He said the TRNC was established, not to solidify separation, but to prepare for a united and federal republic as envisaged by the United Nations and the international community.

"We target unification with the world. This target requires us to do what we need to do to reach peace and solution on our island; that is, we need to make our house more functional and stronger to prepare it for a partnership," Talat said in a message to his people.

He said his government has initiated a new internal reform process to enable its people protect their right of self-governance and create a modern, democratic, legal and functional administrative system.

Annan plan

Returning to the issue of referendum, Talat said the Greek Cypriot's "no" was a "no" to solution and peace in the referendum in line with a state campaign.

"The United Nations secretary-general has stated, for this reason, that the outcome was not only a rejection of the Annan plan but a rejection of the solution itself," he said and added that Annan had stated that the Greek Cypriot leader had deceived him by saying that he would accept the plan.

The Greek Cypriot side, hiding behind the European Union and international law  is challenging the world, which promised to lift "our isolation since the referendum. In short, Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos is challenging the world at the United Nations General Assembly."

Talking earlier to international journalists, he said Greek Cypriot Side were lying when it was claiming that Turkish Cypriots were secessionists and against a solution.

Complaining that Papadopulos is refusing to meet him at any platform, President Talat said that the Greek Cypriot leader's refusal to establish any contacts with the Turkish Cypriot side provides evidence of his ill intentions aimed at cementing the division of the island.

He asked: "How much longer can the Greek Cypriot side continue to isolate Turkish Cypriots while rejecting the United Nations Secretary-General's plan and by taking advantage of the United Nations and European Union membership?

He called on the international community, the European Union and leading countries of the world to act toward lifting the isolations. "As we call for the lifting of isolations, we neither want to pump unsubstantiated hope to our people, nor do we seek separation as claimed by the Greek Cypriot side. We continue to be hopeful."

Showing strong confidence in a near-future solution, Talat said sooner or later, a bi-zonal, bi-communal united republic based on two constituent states as envisaged in the Annan plan would be established and Cyprus would become the united house of all the people on the island.

"And sooner or later, Turkish Cypriots will take their place in the European Union," he added.

Developed economy

He said another step to facilitate a solution would be a developed Turkish Cypriot economy at par with the Greek Cypriot economy which he said would be more capable of shouldering the economic burden of a probable settlement.

"A more effective and institutionalised state structure for Turkish Cypriots will make unification less problematic and less painful. This will also reinforce stability in the region and contribute to the progress of Turkey towards the EU.”

"In short, the lifting of isolations stand to create a win-win situation for all the involved parties. If the Greek Cypriot side decides to give up on its policy of economic enslavement of the Turkish Cypriots, it is definitely going to benefit from this."

The Turkish Cypriot policy of settling the Cyprus issue is still intact, he said, adding "Our hand for peace is still stretched and we believe that eventually it will be grasped."

No subordinate

Talat  said the TRNC is not a subordinate authority to Turkey. However, he expressed gratitute for the support extended by Turkey.

"If we choose to continue with old understandings and the former attitude of indifference and continue to satisfy ourselves with the rhetoric of heroism, I am afraid that at some point it will not be possible to prevent the slip of our beautiful land from under our feet," he cautioned.

However, he said  in their effort to build a united Cyprus and obtain EU membership, their biggest supporter would continue to be the Republic of Turkey.

"We are well aware of the fact that the Republic of Turkey, to whom we are attached by historic ties, will never let us down."