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TRNC FM Denktas: ÔÇÝLet's stop waiting for a solution' |
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Friday, 2 December 2005* TRNC Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas speaks to TNA
By Nursun EREL
TNA/Lefkosa
-ÔÇÝWe have to try to design our own policies to create an alternative world to live in'
-ÔÇÝUnder all the pressure sooner or later Turkey will suspend its EU process'
Within the next two years Turkish Cypriots must find a way to stand on their own two feet as a neighbor to the European Union on the island, warns Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas. According to Denktas, sooner or later Turkey will balk at the EU's proposed concessions on Cyprus and suspend its EU process.
During our interview in Lefkosa, Serdar Denktas evaluated a wide range of issues from the political situation to his father-in-law's prison sentence. Here's what he had to say:
TNA: At the moment, how would you describe the situation on the north of the island? Where do you go from here?
DENKTAS: Nowhere. We're back at square one. It's quite obvious that the Greek Cypriots feel no need for a solution. This is proven again every single day. So we're in the same position as before the B+-rgenstock negotiations. I don't think that there'll be any change in the future either.
TNA: You seem to be pessimistic about the near future as well.
DENKTAS: I believe firstly in telling the truth to our people. We have to stop waiting for the Greek Cypriots' mentality to come around. Because up to now we've always believed that trying to find solutions for our internal problems is an obstacle to finding a solution for the island. We have to say that this isn't true. We have to believe in our own system, our own state. Our greatest safeguard for the future is our own state. Our state can show all the uncertainties of the future. So how can we create a better system? How can we make the general welfare better in the future? These are the things our government administration has to deal with. Also all the civil groups must deal with these too. Our people must believe in this reality. So for two more years we have to try to convey this truth to the world and try to make them understand us too.
Turkey will suspend its EU accession
TNA: And what will happen after two years?
DENKTAS: What will happen after then? Will we be separated from the rest of the world, the 200,000 people of the TRNC? Turkey has a goal [EU membership], but what about us? Will we be left alone? In fact there's no need for such fears. I believe and see that, at a certain point of this process, Turkey will freeze the [EU accession] process itself. Because it won't be able to put up with all the pressure. At that point, we have to size up our choices like developing relations with Islamic countries or the Turkic states, maybe we should start efforts now to create a common market with those countries. In fact such efforts should be initiated by Turkey, but since Turkey has an EU obsession, it's been obsessed with that dream for decades, we have to find our own solutions. These options have been around for years but we act like we're unaware of it.
TNA: Did you get the impression of such a project is viable during your visit to Azerbaijan?
DENKTAS: Well certainly there are some obstacles. Some countries have their own problems, and because of this there's uncertainty. But the members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) started to work on economic cooperation. They're at the last stage of such an initiative and I believe that we have to take part in this cooperation. If we can't reach a deal with the Greek Cypriots, and so we won't be able to take part in the EU, we have to try other alternatives.
TNA: Do you believe that Turkey will come to a moment of truth on the Cyprus issue?
DENKTAS? In every chapter [of Turkey's EU negotiations] the issue will be put in front of Turkey as an obstacle. I can imagine the future pressures, from Turkey's recognition of the TRNC to stopping aid to the TRNC, I mean all kinds of pressure. Not only this kind of pressure, as I believe that if at one point Turkey asks to be allowed to take a breather on the Cyprus issue, then they [the EU] will put the Armenian issue or the southeast issue up as issues for concessions. I believe that no Turkish government will agree to concessions on such vital issues, so what's the solution? Certainly suspending the issue is one choice then.
Turkish harbors
TNA: Do you think Turkey opening its harbors to Greek Cypriot ships will soon be an obstacle?
DENKTAS: Turkish authorities said very openly that if the TRNC's isolation isn't ended, than the harbors won't open. Certainly the Greek Cypriots will force the issue, they'll do everything they can. I also believe that they'll try to create some de facto changes. Maybe they'll send their ships to Turkish harbors, they'll insist on waiting there too. But I don't think the Turkish government will ever allow it. But will additional hurdles be put before Turkey? I believe so. At that point, Turkey will make a stand.
TNA: Do you expect the additional Customs Union protocol to be ratified by the Turkish Parliament soon?
DENKTAS: Well, ratification doesn't necessarily mean that Turkey will apply all the articles of that protocol. Turkey has the right to say at any time, ÔÇÝWait a minute!' Ratification doesn't end that right. So I don't see it as the end of the world, I don't see a serious problem there. All the power is in the hands of the Turkish government, and the Turkish people have the right to tell the government not to do certain things too.
Talat's visit to Washington
TNA: Do you think TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat's recent visit to Washington, D.C. shows a policy change in the United States?
DENKTAS: No, I believe that it's just a sign. A sign to other states who would also like to start a dialogue with us. They may think, ÔÇÝEven the U.S. secretary of state is talking with the TRNC, so there's no problem starting a dialogue with them.' The U.S. has a unique procedure for changing its policies and it's not so easy. So beyond that sign I don't think we've got any meaningful gains.
TNA: Some people say that the U.S. administration has further expectations from the TRNC like military bases. If so, could there be any radical policy changes towards the TRNC?
DENKTAS: We haven't heard about anything like that from the U.S. So is it possible for us to provide bases to the U.S.? If they really need this, if their policies really require it, why not then? But at the moment it's not on the table, and all these discussions are speculative. I believe that the U.S.' recent act in favor of the TRNC is just a gesture. In spite of all the promises made to us before the world, they remain unfulfilled, they just wanted to make a show.
TNA: At this point do you expect Russia to change its policies towards the TRNC?
DENKTAS: The UN secretary-general's report on the issue has to be approved by the Security Council. Does it satisfy us in every respect? No, the report has many unfair and wrong parts, but if it isn't ratified there, then it means that all our efforts over the last two years were for nothing. There's only one obstacle to these efforts, and that's Russia's approach. Certainly they have very close relations with the Greek Cypriots, especially on the economic front. But after 2007, all that cooperation will end. So we can expect such a policy change. On the other hand Russia was so biased towards the Greek Cypriots, as a good neighbor of Turkey and for the sake of that cooperation's positive aspects, we expect this.
Russia's approach
TNA: Have you heard anything new on the issue from Turkey, I mean after the recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin?
DENKTAS? Well we feel a different approach but there's nothing concrete.
TNA: So after 2007, do you think the policy changes like looking for other alternatives for cooperation will be developed among the TRNC government coalition partners?
DENKTAS: Certainly we've discussed this in the coalition. But we don't have an agreement yet. If elections in the southern side continue to be won by the same mentality, then we don't have time to lose. So we have to tell the world that they [the Greek Cypriots] aren't seeking any solution on the island. And we have to convince ourselves to design new policies. As time passes this issue will be discussed more and people will start thinking about that. The idea is trying to live as a neighbor to the EU. How long will we survive like this? How long will our efforts for peace be refused? How long will we waste our time? I believe that all these questions must be answered by the world too, so on that day I'm sure we'll have an agreement to change our policies.
TNA: Some people say that Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party has been eager to make concessions on Cyprus. What do you think of the AK Party government's policies?
DENKTAS: No Turkish government has the luxury of losing the TRNC, because our greatest supporter first of all is the man on the street in Turkey. So we don't have any fears about the government's future actions.
Toros military exercise
TNA: The TRNC's recent decision to hold the Toros military exercise after three years without it, after the Greek Cypriots resurrected their own Nikiforos exercise, got a bad reaction in EU circles. How do you respond to this?
DENKTAS: In fact Nikiforos was unnecessary. Why it was held? I think Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos wanted to send a message to his people. So Toros wasn't a response to this, but we hadn't held the exercise for the last three years. Now we wanted them to remind them of the Turkish forces' capabilities. If someone does something crazy one day they should be aware of the risks involved.
TNA: There's some talk of changing Article 159 of the TRNC Constitution dealing with property, as some of it is claimed by Greek Cypriots. Everyone in the TRNC seems to be scared of losing their property. Are there plans for this?
DENKTAS: No, there's no such plan. If there is such a policy change, that means that we're rejecting our own state. Because all these deeds have the registration of the TRNC. In fact there is a plan to ease property exchanges between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. We're trying to bring more flexibility to those exchanges and even ease indemnity payments. We see the Papadopoulos administration threatening their citizens not to apply to our institutions for these deeds or indemnities. In fact if he didn't create such a problem the Cyprus issue would be solved sooner. So we're backing all the property deeds and if our citizens face any problems or have to pay compensation due to having the deeds, we'll cover those damages.
My father-in-law
TNA: What do you see as the most promising sectors of the TRNC economy after 2007?
DENKTAS: There's a great potential here especially in the educational sector and in tourism. If we decide to try surviving by standing on our own two feet, I believe that our economy can't get any worse. It would be much better than now. Once we set our mind on our new policies, we'll have a very bright future.
TNA: When I think about your father Rauf Denktas (TRNC president for decades known for opposition to a solution on Cyprus), I often ask myself: A father and a son, how can they see things so differently? Don't you ever try to change each other's opinions?
DENKTAS: We don't. I'm a politician, but he's a leader. I'm dealing with politics in the state he established. But the conditions are very different. In those years, the ÔÇÝ50s for example, he had only a band of fighters, and the belief of his people, but he had nothing else to stand on. But we have our own state today. If we're able to negotiate for equal rights, it's thanks to this. In fact today we have very comfortable conditions compared to the ones he had, but as for defending the rights of Turkish Cypriots, there's no difference of opinion between us. Some people want to see us at odds but it won't happen.
TNA: What about your father-in-law (jailed for a banking scandal), do you share his views too?
DENKTAS: Poor man, just for being my father-in law he was arrested and jailed. Meanwhile the owners of 11 other banks are also suspects for the same crime, but they're all walking free. When the Central Bank assets were being taken, those people said nothing, but now they act like they were against it. In fact my father-in-law spearheaded an industrial zone in Lefkosa, and he did this with the assets of his bank. He had no other crime. And he's the father of the woman I fell in love with and married. So am I supposed to give up politics or get a divorce, then?
The New Anatolian |
Friday, 2 December 2005
Interview with TRNC Foreign Ministe
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