SERDAR DENKTAS: "AS A PARTY WE WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN CONTACTS OF EU REPRESENTATIVES"

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Serdar Denktas, indicating that the good will initiative started by the EU to establish direct relations with the Turkish Cypriots was being deviated from its main aim, said: "As the Democrat Party we will not be participating in the said group's contacts in the TRNC".

In the written statement issued, Serdar Denktas said the attitude of the European Parliament's Contact Group had offended the Turkish Cypriots.

Highlighting that it was unacceptable for the Group to refer to their visit as 'having high level contacts with the Turkish Cypriot community living in the Northern part of Cyprus', Serdar Denktas said: "Instead of referring to a Cypriot community living in the Northern part of Cyprus, if they had said Turkish Cypriots then the visit would have been meaningful".

He said the Turkish Cypriot side did not want to be a part of this initiative, which ignores the existence of the Turkish Cypriots, and would not participate in the Group's contacts. Continuing he said:

"The promises given to the Turkish Cypriots before and after the 24 April 2004 referendum had just remained as words and even initiatives that were made in this direction started to have a negative effect in the opposite direction.

While on 26 April 2004 the EU had taken the decision to reduce and lift the isolations imposed upon the Turkish Cypriots, the Turkish Cypriots trusted the EU and considered this decision to be a good start.

However, the picture that has emerged after two years is very different from the decision that was taken on 26 April 2004. This decision, which was taken with the aim of easing the Turkish Cypriots' isolation, has now turned into an opportunity to enable the Greek Cypriots to extend their sovereignty over TRNC territories.

While the Direct Trade Regulation, which was a basic requirement for lifting the isolations, was made null and void, the Financial Aid Regulation, which provides an opportunity for it to be controlled by the Greek Cypriots, was approved. These developments have damaged the Turkish Cypriots' trust in the EU.

On the one hand while all these developments are taking place, on the other hand the attitude adopted by the European Parliament Contact Group has further offended the Turkish Cypriots.

This good will initiative, which was started with the aim of establishing direct relations between the EU and Turkish Cypriots, has been deviated from its main aim, and turned into an initiative that ignores the existence of the Turkish Cypriots.

As if they are ashamed by visiting our country, the Group have referred to this visit as, "Having high level contacts with the Cypriot community living in the Northern part of Cyprus", and this is unacceptable for us. Instead of referring to a Cypriot community living in the Northern part of Cyprus, if they had said Turkish Cypriots then the visit would have been meaningful. However, this good will initiative, which was initially started with the aim of establishing relations with the Turkish Cypriots, by turning into "having relations with the Cypriot community in the Northern part of Cyprus", has been deviated from its main aim and turned against the Turkish Cypriots.

Under these conditions, it is unacceptable for us to be a part of this initiative that denies our main identity as being Turkish Cypriots. Therefore, as the Democrat Party we make it public knowledge that we will not participate in the Group's contacts in the TRNC".