Erdogan Favors Changing Traditional Cyprus Policy
"Politics is an art of creating solutions instead of problems"
Anadolu News Agency, January 02, 2003, RIZE - Justice and Develop-ment Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday, "I am not in favor of continuation of last 30-40 year's policy in Cyprus."

In an interview with the local TV channel in northern province of Rize, Erdogan said, "I am not in favor of continuation of last 30-40 years' policy in Cyprus. Politics is an art of creating solutions instead of problems. We will do our utmost to this end. This is not the personal case of President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). It is the struggle of a nation to exist. During our meeting, President Denktas did not claim that he would protect the current status quo totally. He told me that he considered the plan negotiable. He also said that he did not rely on the Greek Cypriot side. We will leave this lack of confidence aside. If we consider it negotiable, we will negotiate it."

"If the sides fail to reach a solution till February 28, everything will become more difficult. Such a development could lead to a distressing future. If 30 thousand people could hold a demonstration in Northern Cyprus, it means that Northern Cyprus has been heading to somewhere. It is not an ordinary event. We should well-assess the situation. No one can ignore views of the people," he added.

PRESIDENT DENKTAS MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF POLITICAL PARTIES
LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) met on Thursday with leaders and representatives of political parties having seats at the parliament.

Speaking at the meeting, President Denktas said, "the meeting aims at revealing whether or not we have consensus of opinion on principles we want to protect during our meetings with Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides."

"When United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan presented his first proposal, we said that the 'proposal could not be accepted as a basis'. We conveyed our concerns to Annan. The Greek Cypriot side also conveyed its concerns. However, the press reflected this as if the Greek Cypriot side had accepted the document, but Denktas had rejected it. This is not true," he said.

President Denktas noted, "later, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan presented a second document by taking into consideration the concerns of both sides. It is seen that the document has got closer to our views in a few points, but in all other issues, their policy to satisfy the Greek Cypriot side has continued. In spite of that, we said we want to hold negotiations with the Greek Cypriot side and insisted on being given an opportunity to hold negotiations. I cannot go to negotiations as I am recovering from a heart operation, but we should be given time."

"It is a serious mistake and injustice to connect United Nations Secretary General Annan's good-will mission to the schedule of the European Union (EU). Not Cyprus, but the Greek Cypriot side applied to the EU, and they did that in purpose, in order to achieve what they could not do by using arms," he said.

Denktas said, "by pointing out this situation, we conveyed every diplomat we met what the Turkish side needs regarding entrance to the EU, and to what kind of delegations and defense rights they need," adding that, "Cyprus's accession to the EU without Turkey contradicts with 1960 agreements. We have conveyed our views in this respect. We agreed with Turkey on this issue and we have shown flexibility, but it has not been appreciated. The Greek Cypriot side went too far to do what it wants."

Denktas said the Turkish side did not go beyond defending its rights which the people protected for years during the talks, stating that they made this defense with decisions of the Parliament and Turkey.

TRNC President said it was the biggest mistake to present Cyprus problem to the people as "Denktas's problem", and referring to the statements of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he said, "he said 'this is not the question of Denktas, but the nation'." Denktas said Erdogan focused on abiding by wishes of people.

"What are the wishes of the people. I held this meeting today to understand this," Denktas said, pointing out that, "we should discuss whether or not people gave up sovereignty, or political equality, whether or not the people is ready to accept Greek Cypriots and their casting vote after so many years, and whether or not this common living will take place within the framework of their own laws. What will happen if Greek Cypriots who will come to live with us had done bad things in the past? We will mislead the world, our people and ourselves if we fail to say what kind of a peace we want while calling for peace."