PART TWO

 

Denktas says keys to settlement are recognition of equality, sovereignty

The Turkish Cypriot leader says he will not accept any settlement that fails to address the legitimate expectations of the Turkish Cypriot people

Greek Cypriot recognition of political equality of the two peoples and their partnership in the sovereignty of the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus were the keys to any settlement, President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) said.

In an exclusive interview with the Turkish Daily News, Denktas stressed there were suggestions by "foreigners" that an agreement could be a "crowning finale" for his political career, but he would not sign any agreement "that fails to address the legitimate demands of my people."

"My people will not surrender to Greek Cypriot hegemony under any condition," said Denktas.

He said political equality, sovereignty and an effective Turkish guarantee were the fundamental elements of a settlement, which should now be negotiated in state-to-state level talks rather than the previous inter-communal negotiations. He said a new round of talks should start with the acknowledgement that there were two equal peoples, two democracies and two entities on the island.

"I would like to reiterate that peace is not possible unless equality, partnership in sovereignty, a reaffirmation of the Turkish-Greek balance, a guarantee scheme accepted, the bases given to Greece are closed and the embargo on my people is lifted. As long as the international community recognizes Greek Cypriots as the Cyprus Republic and its sole legitimate government, it's not possible. This is what my many years of experience tells me," Denktas said.

Appealing to Washington to stop discouraging other countries from recognizing the Turkish Cypriot state, Denktas said a settlement on the island would come within reach only after the "sole government of Cyprus" title accorded to the Greek Cypriot administration was withdrawn.

President Denktas also clarified that the much-discussed integration of the KKTC with Turkey was not union with Turkey but the development of "special ties" in the fields that the Turkish Cypriot state so far has been unable to achieve much progress in. These, he said, were in particular the economy and making the voice of north Cyprus heard in the international forum.

TDN: Mr. President, there are rumors nowadays that you have only two more years as president, may not seek reelection and may opt to use the remaining period for achieving a Cyprus settlement and thus end your active political life with a crowning success... a crowning finale?

DENKTAS: I would like to reiterate that peace (between the two communities on the island) is not possible unless equality, partnership in sovereignty, the Turkish-Greek balance reaffirmed, a guarantee scheme accepted, the bases given to Greece (by the Greek Cypriot administration) are closed, the embargo on my people is lifted. As long as the international community recognizes Greek Cypriots as the Cyprus Republic and its sole legitimate government, it's not possible.

This is what my so many years of experience tells me.

I definitely want peace, but I also say by establishing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus I have at least provided a haven for my people where they have security and can defend themselves. At least I have provided that to my people. I shall not let that be hampered. A settlement is not possible unless Greek Cypriots see this reality and say "Partner we could not pull you down... You have established your separate entity. Union of these two entities is in our mutual interest. Let's talk about this." Or else, we cannot establish peace as we could not achieved it over the past 34 years. Yes, but they would impose (peace) on us... What are they going to impose on us? Did the Dayton agreement work? The only part of it that functions is separation... And in order to sustain that separation mass emigration is required... Perhaps there will be fresh bloodshed. The essence of it is separation. Here we no longer have migration. There is peace.

Is it that difficult to rubber stamp this peace? Are there not any people around the world to tell Greek Cypriots that they have no right to attack Turkish Cypriot people... To tell them stop this arming to the teeth campaign? To brush aside adventures like giving bases to Greece? To tell Greek Cypriots that they do not have the right to deny recognition to our state because it was you (Greek Cypriots) who expelled these partners from the joint administration. Is there not anyone around the world to tell this to Greek Cypriots?

The United States is scared of the Greek lobby... I have no such fears. If Washington is scared of the Greek lobby - and that was why it is pushing through those resolutions against us at the (United Nations) Security Council-, and I believe this is the case, the proclamation by the Security Council that the independence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was "null and void" is a by- product of Washington's Greek lobby phobia. Well, I understand that the United States is afraid of the Greek lobby, but why does it not help lift the section of the resolution that instructs other countries, wishing to recognize the KKTC, that they cannot do so? From where did you get the right to tell others that they cannot recognize our state and create the current situation.

They say the island is small and cannot be divided. I repeat, it was not we who divided the island. There was a partnership agreement made to prevent division of the island, which was signed to prevent a possible war over Cyprus between Greece and Turkey. It was the Greek Cypriots who demolished that agreement in an effort to make Cyprus a Hellen island. All we tried to do was to oppose Greek Cypriot efforts to establish its hegemony over us and make Cyprus a part of Greece. After all that Greek Cypriots did, we are considered faulty and Greek Cypriots are regarded as innocent... There cannot be this much gross injustice. Whatever there might be against us is entered in the U.N. reports while they play around with words in an attempt to prevent any possible anti-Greek references. These are examples of injustices that we were forced to encounter. We shall not bow. We shall never agree to pull down our flag from its hoist. It is there and will stay there.

They say an agreement could be a crowning finale for the political life of Denktas. I shall not sign any accord that fails to address the legitimate demands of my people. My people will not surrender to Greek Cypriot hegemony under any condition. We were not the ones who demolished the partnership republic by expelling Turkish partners. We cannot be blamed because we survived all the injustices we were subjected to.

TDN- Mr. President, although I have listened personally to Osman Orek, the defense minister of the joint government, state that he was told to voluntarily leave his office or he would be "kicked out" at gun point, the Greek Cypriot side claims that they did not expel the Turks from the joint government but they withdrew.

DENKTAS: Now, serious people who know the Cyprus problem, would not listen to such oddities. The office of Dr. (Fadil) Kucuk (the then vice president) was occupied on Dec. 21, 1963 by armed Greek Cypriots. When he sent staff to collect his personal belongings, they were attacked by Greek Cypriots and were about to be killed. All Turkish officials were forced out of their offices and they could not return to their duties. When we said "Let's return to our duties" (then President of Cyprus Archbishop) Makarios told the U.N. that we could return only after a political agreement is reached and we accepted minority rights. When our parliamentarians wanted to return to their seats, (current Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos) Clerides (who was the speaker of the House of Representatives at that time) declared that Turkish Cypriot MPs could return to their seats only after they accepted amendments made in the Constitution, that is only after they accepted to become representatives of a minority, or else he would "kick them out." These are all facts that are covered by U.N. reports. As long as they deny what they have done instead of apologizing and saying that they should not have inflicted such injustices on their Turkish Cypriot partners, we cannot trust them.

Instead of accepting what they have done, they deny... they claim that they did not expel us, that we withdrew. Why should we withdrew from the joint government? We were comfortable. Besides, there is the Akritas Plan (for total annihilation of Turkish Cypriots). It has become public. It is stated in that Akritas plan when, why and who carried out all those merciless acts of vandalism on the Turkish Cypriot people. There is the statement of General Garayadis who quoted Makarios as telling Yorgacis in August 1960, the month that the treaties founding the Cyprus Republic were signed, that he should get prepared for an all-out attack on Turks and should immediately start the attack on the Turkish Cypriots when he felt his paramilitary forces were strong enough to combat Turkish Cypriots. And on Dec. 21, 1963 they started the attacks. To remind you, Clerides was the deputy of Yorgacis. These are all documented facts.

Do you recall what Clerides had told me at Glion? There he had said he was not our government but the whole international community considered him as such and had told me that I should not expect him to tell the world that he was not our government. I repeated that at the Organization of Islamic Conference summit held in Tehran. There was a Greek Cypriot representative there. He immediately distributed a paper claiming that what I had said was a lie and there could be no such thing. That was a remark made in the presence of (U.N. Cyprus envoy Diego) Cordovez. That was a remark repeated 5000 times in the presence of (U.N. deputy Cyprus envoy Gustave) Feissel. If just for the sake of deceiving that conference they resorted to lies and fabrication, you cannot talk about anything with such people. We have to be serious.

We are two equal peoples on Cyprus. These two equal peoples founded a partnership republic in 1960. The Greek Cypriot partners demolished that republic. From 1963 to 1974 they fought with us, but could not succeed in establishing their hegemony over us. They staged a coup in 1974, they failed again. We have saved ourselves, thanks to the help of Turkey. Established our Republic. This point is where the talks should start. If they say they are sovereign and will not talk sovereignty with us, my response is we are sovereign and will not talk sovereignty with you.

I won't sit at negotiations table, but won't further isolate myself either and will continue explaining my position to whoever is visiting us.

That is why we are not willing to push ourselves into further isolation, but have no intention of sitting down to meaningless negotiations either. The EU has not left any meaning in continuing talks. That's why it's nonsense to continue talks.

TDN: Mr. President you say this thing is over... Of course you mean talks aimed at establishing a federation on Cyprus?

DENKTAS: Yes...

TDN: There are talks that now that it has become clear that a federation is not possible, perhaps a settlement on Cyprus should be sought by establishing a confederation...

DENKTAS: What's the foundation of a confederation? Is it not two states? The moment the fact of two states is acknowledged, the moment a settlement is sought on the basis that there are two equal states on the island... that the aim is to establish a coordination, a cooperation between these two states, you have a settlement. It could be a federation or a confederation. The two states could start relations for cooperation and coordination and proceed in line with their requirements. That road may take them to a federation or a confederation or a union. What's important is the beginning. At the beginning they should recognise my sovereignty so that in the future they would not be able to inflict the damage we were subjected to for the past 34 years saying that we were a minority. So that if they attack my people they won't be able to tell the world that it's their internal affair.

Everyone should know that if they attack us, a sovereign part has attacked another sovereign part and that it is my legitimate right to defend my territory and my sovereignty. That's what we want. This a by-product of the demolition they have staged. They have demolished everything in the past and now I say we have to take measures so that they won't be able to demolish the house on us again. There are two states.

TDN: Let's assume for one second that accession talks between Greek Cypriots and the EU have started, progressed and finalised. Turkey and the KKTC have declared that similar steps of integration would be taken between the two. What's the final stage of integration between north Cyprus and Turkey. Does this process foresee full integration, that is north Cyprus becoming part of Turkey?

DENKTAS: When we talk about integration, it should not be misunderstood. We are talking about special ties with Turkey. First of all would the EU accept such a troublesome country... A divided country... A country a part of which is applying an embargo on another part of it. If it accepts this, what aim would such a step serve... It will only reaffirm the division on the island and finish off (peace talks). That is, it's up to them, we have nothing else to say. Then what shall we do? This integration word was used inappropriately. Some claimed it aimed at enosis (union) with Turkey. Some said north Cyprus would become a part of Turkey... That's why we have abandoned using that word. We say we shall develop special ties with Turkey.

Those who have forgotten that from defence to economy in all fields Greek Cypriots have integrated with Greece, are saying that Turkish Cypriots cannot integrate with Turkey? Why? Did anyone tell Greek Cypriots they cannot achieve integration with Greece? No. Why? If it is because we are Turks, everyone should know that to the extend they have integration with Greece we have the right to have integration with Turkey. Within the same guidelines.

What's the aim? We aim to improve our deficient or weak parts by having special ties with Turkey. What are our deficiencies? Economy. Because of embargoes our economy could not be developed. By establishing special ties with Turkey perhaps we shall lift all bureaucracy between Turkey and the KKTC. Turkey has advertised this land as a preferential place for investments. We shall develop investments. We shall do whatever is possible to improve and strengthen investments here. Why are Greek Cypriots irritated in us becoming economically strong. Am I obliged to remain dwarfed under its economic embargo and admire its development? There is no such obligation. Who is opposed to what? The international community should support and help us to improve our economy and show to Greek Cypriots that we will not collapse.

Greek Cypriots visiting the north admire our progress. They say they had a totally different image. Yes, they read complaints in newspapers, which are magnified to fill their imaginations and to think that everything is very bad in the north. That's not correct. I am 74 years old. I have never seen Turkish Cypriot people any better than today. Thank God, we have difficulties, but are advancing. Those of us who do not remember the past, or prefer not to remember the past, have difficulty in telling the truth to ourselves. But, this is the reality. We are far better today than we were yesterday and we shall be far better tomorrow than today. We have difficulties. We have bureaucratic problems. But, we are solving them and advancing. We have established a protocol with Turkey that will help this advancement.

Another area we had difficulty in is making our voice heard at international fora. We asked Turkey "allow us participate in your delegations and bring us to international fora." We have tested that on some occasions, it worked and has yielded very positive results. We shall expand that. Who can complain at this? What's wrong in Turkish Cypriots having the opportunity of explaining their views to the international community? We were denied such an opportunity because of Greek Cypriot embargoes. Did it serve anything good? It served only intransigence.

Now, wherever I go and explain our views, they say they did not know those realities. I ask, "Had you know these, would you insist on such faulty approaches?" They say "No." Then, you did not know these because so far you have ignored and neglected us. They have opened their doors a little bit to listen to our views on the issue of accession into the EU and they were shocked hearing what we had to say.

There is a case and there are two sides to it. We must be able to tell our views. If the world listens only to the Greek Cypriot side as the "sole government" on the island, it is only natural that wrong perceptions will develop. We are obliged to find a way to explain to the world the true picture of the situation on Cyprus

TDN: Last question, Mr. President. We are approaching the end of 1997. Apart from what you have told us, if we are to make a summary of 1997, what are the gains and what are the losses? And, what are your expectations for 1998?

DENKTAS: Let me start with my expectations from 1998. The continuation of the application of the protocols we have signed with Turkey, the continuation of Turkey's determined support for us makes me feel that 1998 will be a far better year. I have high expectations for 1998. Prospects are bright. In all areas that we have deficiencies, we shall compensate with the application of the agreements and protocols we have signed with Turkey.

Secondly, with the help of the Turkish Foreign Ministry we have found a channel to explain our national cause better to the international community. This is a very positive development.

Now, what happened in 1997? Neglecting Turkey and ignoring

Turkish Cypriot resistance, Greek Cypriots and Greece have attempted to play the last stage of their 34- year policy of deception, cold-blooded murder, lies and slander with the EU bid.

This last page has shown everyone that it is not valid. This last page could not be written in favour of Greece and Greek Cypriots. They have left this business to 1998. If they want something in line with the norms of justice in 1998, the quality, sovereignty and existence of the two sides on the island should be acknowledged. All we want is respect for the supremacy of law, our democracy and our people and recognition of the equality, sovereignty, rights and existence of the two sides. We do not demand much from the world...

TDN: Thank you Mr. President... I wish you continued good health guiding Turkish Cypriot people to an honourable peace. It's the luck of the Turkish Cypriot people to have you as their leader.

DENKTAS: My dear friend, it is neither my wish, nor my destiny to remain for ever at the head of our state. But, it is my fundamental wish that the KKTC live for ever and constitute the basis for any settlement in the future. That's my wish, demand, hope.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my best wishes to the brave people of Anatolia who when Cyprus is mentioned are excited, rise up, who weep with us, laugh with us. May 1998 bring all the best to them. And, may Allah save Turkey from all misfortunes and keep the Turkish flag high in the air for ever.

TDN: Thank you Mr. President.

DENKTAS: Thank you.

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