The full text of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas’s letter is as follows:

"Your Excellency,

It has come to my attention that the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus, which purports to be the "Government of the Republic of Cyprus", has signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. In this connection, I would like to bring to your kind attention the following:

As you are well aware, separate simultaneous referenda were held on 24 April 2004 in the TRNC and South Cyprus on the comprehensive settlement plan of Your Excellency which was finalized and submitted to the two sides on 31 March 2004. The plan was approved in the Turkish Cypriot referendum by 65% of the votes whereas 76% of the Greek Cypriot people rejected the plan, as called for by the Greek Cypriot leader, Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos, in an address on 7 April 2004, where he demanded a "resounding no" to the Annan Plan from the Greek Cypriots.

These results mean that the objective of Your Excellency’s efforts over the past four and a half years, namely to reunite Cyprus in time for accession to the EU on 1 May 2004, has not been achieved. In a statement issued on 24 April 2004, Your Excellency has said that you respected the outcome of the referenda but, at the same time, you regretted that a unique and historic opportunity to resolve the Cyprus issue had been missed. Your Excellency expressed your disappointment on the Greek Cypriot’s refusal whereas you applauded the Turkish Cypriots, who approved the plan not withstanding the significant sacrifices that it entailed for many of them in your report to the Security Council (S/2004/302) on 3 June 2004 in the following words:

I welcome the decision of the Turkish Cypriots. They have clearly and convincingly come out in favour of the reunification of Cyprus in a bicommunal, bizonal federation. They have done so despite the pain and dislocation that would have been caused by the relocation of about one third of the Turkish Cypriots under the plan, given the territorial arrangements and property provisions. (Para. 87)"

For the past forty years, Turkish Cypriots have been subjected to inhuman and illegal embargoes imposed by the Greek Cypriot side and time has come to end this injustice to enable us to have direct communication with the rest of the world as free people. Your Excellency also expressed your regret that the Turkish Cypriots would not equally enjoy the benefits of EU membership as of 1 May 2004, but you hoped that ways would be found to ease the plight in which the people find themselves through no fault of their own, in the following words:

..I would hope that they (Security Council) can give a strong lead to all States to cooperate both bilaterally and in international bodies to eliminate unnecessary restrictions and barriers that have the effect of isolating the Turkish Cypriots and impending their development...(Para. 93)"

The results of the referenda have clearly demonstrated, once again, that the expressed will of the Turkish Cypriot people is in favour of a comprehensive settlement on the island based on bi-zonality and the political equality of the two peoples and that the Turkish Cypriots have certainly done their part and it is simply not fair to penalize them any longer. Such a strong "no" in the Greek Cypriot side, on the other hand, proved beyond any doubt, that they are not ready to enter into a power-sharing arrangement with the Turkish Cypriots but instead continue to enjoy the benefits of the title of the "Republic of Cyprus" which they usurped through force of arms in December 1963.

As concrete experience shows, any action which is likely to be construed by this administration as a validation of its claim to be the "government of the whole of Cyprus" is bound to encourage the uncompromising stance of the Greek Cypriots. The Turkish Cypriot side believes that the time has come for the international community to take measures to redress the unjust situation arising from the fact that despite its willingness for a settlement, the Turkish Cypriot side still continues to be subjected to illegal restrictions and embargoes, and continues to be denied its right to international representation.

In view of the above, anything said or done by the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus, in its purported capacity as the "Government of the Republic of Cyprus", will be null and void an will not, in any way, be binding on the Turkish Cypriot people or the island as a whole.