RARE TENSION crackled on Friday between veteran Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and his patron Turkey over how to tackle the division of Cyprus following last weekend’s inconclusive Turkish Cypriot election.
Turkey and Denktash are under heavy international pressure to resume stalled talks on a blueprint proposed last year by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, which envisages Cyprus joining the European Union next May as a reunited island.
But the Turkish Cypriot general election on December 14 returned a ‘parliament’ split 25 members to 25 members between supporters of the Annan plan and those who back Denktash’s rejection of it.
Denktash reacted angrily yesterday to what he clearly saw as criticism from Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who was reported by Anatolian news agency to have expressed impatience with Denktash and his advisers over their inflexibility.
“They (the advisers) do not bring any different views (on the problem),” Erdogan was quoted as saying on Thursday evening during a trip to the ex-Soviet republic of Uzbekistan.
“In my view it is wrong to say the Annan plan is completely bad for northern Cyprus,” he said, making clear Turkey saw the blueprint as a basis for more talks.
However Erdogan appeared to avoid the issue of whether Denktash should be replaced as the enclave’s chief negotiator.
Denktash was clearly rattled by the implied criticism from Turkey, the only country to recognise his ‘statelet’ of 200,000.
“It seems apparent that the prime minister desires a change in the negotiator and advisers,” Denktash said.
“The Turkish government should say who they prefer to become the negotiator so I can appoint one. Let’s see how far it can take us,” he told reporters in the northern part of Nicosia.
But a solution has become more urgent as the government prepares to take Cyprus into the EU on May 1, 2004. The lack of a settlement by then could cement the island’s ethnic division, deepen the Turkish Cypriots’ international isolation and damage Turkey’s own bid to join the EU.
Denktash fears the more numerous and wealthier Greek Cypriots will inevitably dominate a reunited Cyprus.
US envoy Thomas Weston tried to persuade Denktash on Thursday to reconsider his rejection of the UN plan and was due to hold talks in Ankara yesterday with Turkish officials.
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer may try to convene a meeting of the country’s institutions to discuss the developments in northern Cyprus, his spokesman said yesterday.
One problem for Erdogan is that much of Turkey’s conservative establishment — including the powerful military — backs Denktash and is reluctant to make concessions on Cyprus unless and until the EU agrees to start entry negotiations.
The military also stresses the strategic value of the island, which lies just off Turkey’s southern coast.
Meanwhile Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat, the winner of the most seats in the elections, conducted meetings with the Denktash supporting National Unity Party (UBP) and the Democrat Party (DP) leaders in an attempt to create a government coalition.
Following his meeting with UBP leader Dervis Eroglu, Talat said, “The (Cyprus) problem must be solved by May 2004, and the only plan on the table to solve the problem is the Annan plan.”
“Cyprus cannot shoulder the burden of a new election, but it is not impossible,” he added.
Eroglu briefly stated after their meeting that a lasting solution to the Cyprus problem should be achieved, and that his party is continuing consultations regarding the formation of a government coalition.
Talat met later in the day with DP leader Serdar Denktash for nearly 90 minutes at his party headquarters in Nicosia.
In a joint press conference after their meeting, the DP leader said, “This process we are undertaking is not a normal process to form a government.”
“As the DP we have come to a position where we are the key party and also the plug in the drain in the position of stopping everything. Our intention is not to be an obstacle, but to open the way for the country and open a way for a solution that preserves our rights,” added Denktash.
Denktash and Talat indicated they are striving for forming a national government comprised of all of the parties to take the Turkish Cypriots to a solution and possible EU membership by May 2004, which would subsequently benefit Turkey’s EU aspirations in December 2004.
Denktash expressed during the press conference that a four party coalition in agreement of their policies would be their preference, but a three party coalition – even though it is not desired – would also be an option.
