Denktas alleges that Turkey has the power to erase the Turkish Cypriots’ debt in case of a solution based on political equality
Under the title “Denktas erased the debt (!)”, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (12.05.16) reports that Serdar Denktas, self-styled deputy prime minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, met yesterday in Ankara with the Turkish deputy Prime Minister responsible for Cypriot Affairs, Turgul Turkes.
In his statements, Denktas alleged that Greek Cypriot recent statements “will blow the negotiating table up and they are doing this by accusing us”. Denktas claimed:
“They have an approach demanding that we freeze our life. They say ‘if investments are made in Morfou area, we will destroy the negotiating table, [and] if you grant citizenships, the negotiating table will be blown up’. The last bomb thrown by the Greek Cypriot negotiators was that ‘the Turkish Cypriots owe Turkey 17 billion euros and if Turkey does not erase this debt, there will be no solution”.
Noting that their “government” has given the “necessary reply” to the above statements, Denktas alleged that the Turkish Cypriots knocked on Turkey’s door because Turkey is their only “air-tube” since 1963 due to what he described as the “isolation implemented by the Greek Cypriots”. He added:
“[…] Since they refer to 17 billion euros, let them add the interest to this. They will be forced to pay the equivalent for the suffering they had caused us. If there is a solution really based on the political equality, even if we have such a debt, Turkey is a powerful country that could erase this [debt] for that really viable solution. Such statements shake our people’s trust and make the Greek Cypriots’ unwillingness more evident”.
Finally, Denktas argued that the good intention and the sincere will of Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and his negotiating team are there.
Turkey has the power to erase the Turkish Cypriots’ debt in case of a solution based on political equality
