By Jean Christou
TURKISH Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has slammed the door on any further inter-communal talks in the wake of the European Union’s decision to open accession negotiations with Cyprus.
“The inter-communal talks have died and under these conditions a federation is not on the agenda,” a statement from Denktash’s office said yesterday.
Denktash also said he would no longer discuss the subject of inter-communal talks with the UN. He is due to meet UN permanent Representative Gustave Feissel today.
He also said the EU’s representative on the island Gilles Anouil should not longer disturb his `officials’.
“Those who recognise our state can come and talk to us,” Denktash said.
“This is the last manoeuvre by the Greek and Greek Cypriot administrations who have been trying to make the Turks of Cyprus wear the shirt of a minority for the last 34 years.”
Denktash’s comments were in line with the hardline stance adopted by the Turkish side since Saturday’s historic EU summit. On Sunday, Turkish Cypriot `Prime Minister’ Dervis Eroglu told reporters that foreign diplomats would henceforth only be received by Denktash if they addressed the Turkish Cypriot leader as “Mr President”.
The Turkish Cypriot reaction echoed similar statements in Ankara, where a Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday said the EU decision would only speed up Turkey’s decision to integrate the occupied areas.
Turkey has also rejected an offer to attend a Conference for EU aspirants in Britain early next year. The Conference had been seen as an attempt to keep Ankara on board by not closing the door to its own eventual EU membership.
In Nicosia yesterday, Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides said Ankara’s decision was “not wise”, adding that if Turkey accepted European principles and beliefs it would provide the framework for a Cyprus solution and good neighbourly relations.
“A positive response on the part of Turkey would contribute towards conditions of security and stability in the region,” Cassoulides said.
The Minister dismissed Turkish threats partially to integrate the occupied areas with Turkey, saying: “Cyprus and Greece will deal with any Turkish reaction within international law and order.”
Cassoulides added the accession talks would act as a catalyst in efforts to reach a political settlement.
On his return to the island form Luxembourg on Sunday, President Clerides said that if Turkey went ahead to integrate the occupied areas “no country will accept this neither Europe, nor the US or any other country.”
Clerides said the EU had sent a message to Turkey that it should contribute to finding a Cyprus solution within the EU framework
