Denktash: Without negotiations, it is not possible to reach our goals

Serdar Denktash, son of late Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, said on Wednesday it is “not possible” for the Turkish Cypriot people to “achieve our goals” if they do not return to the negotiating table.

“If we do not talk, there will be no negotiations. If we do not negotiate, it is not possible to get anywhere close to reaching our goals. It is possible for us reach a point [of agreement] as we talk and discuss,” he said.

He added that he is working on a “project” with the aim of breaking the current deadlock in regard to the Cyprus problem, and that he has “full faith” that there exists a path to resuming talks and finding a solution.

With this in mind, he said he would seek the contribution of the north’s political parties, with the aim of the Turkish Cypriot side being able to present a unified front.

At present, the Turkish Cypriot political spectrum is deeply divided over the Cyprus problem, with parties on the right supporting a two-state solution, and parties on the left supporting a return to negotiations on the basis of a federal solution.

“We need to quickly turn the Cyprus problem from being a party-based internal campaigning tool to a national issue and begin to explain ourselves to the world with Ankara’s support. But first, we need to reach an agreement amongst ourselves,” he said.

If such an agreement is not found, he said, “we will remain in our current situation of being oppressed, living under embargoes, and with our youth not even daring to dream of a future. That is the worst of it.”

He said he believes there is a “third way” forward for the Turkish Cypriot side regarding the Cyprus problem, which would allow its political factions to compromise, and that this was why he had decided to create his project.

“I want my grandchildren to live in this country … This is why I will continue to make this effort,” he said.

He then turned his attention to the arrests made by the Republic’s authorities regarding the sale of property in the north.

“It is possible to understand why the Greek Cypriot side is trying to do this, but it is not possible to understand the regulations made by our side. This sector enables the functioning of 64 other sectors. If it continues like this, property sales will grind to a halt and we will face a much bigger crisis,” he said.

He added that such a turn of events would lead to a “chain reaction” in the north’s economy, and that to ward against this, social housing should be built and financed by the proceeds of taxes levied on high-value property sales.

“This requires vision and intent. The mentality that Turkey will solve our every financial difficulty is not the right approach. Turkey will of course support us, but we also need to establish our system in a way that can turn itself around,” he said.

The north’s ‘interior minister’ Dursun Oguz was less conciliatory during an interview with Kibris Postasi TV on the subject on Wednesday, criticising the arrests made by the Republic’s authorities.

“South Cyprus does not want what is best for the TRNC. The attitudes of south Cyprus towards the TRNC are part of a political strategy. They do not want for the TRNC to be economically prosperous, and this is the common view of their entire political spectrum, from right to left,” he said.

Meanwhile, Turkish opposition party CHP leader Ozgur Ozel confirmed that he will travel to Cyprus on July 18 ahead of celebrations in the north to mark the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s invasion of the island.

“We will all be in Cyprus on July 20,” he said, adding that CHP members, Turkish Labour Minister in 1974 Onder Sav and Public Works Minister in 1974 Erol Cevikce, would also attend the official celebrations.

He said that as well as the two former ministers, Ayse Ayata, the daughter of late CHP member and Turkish Foreign Minister in 1974 Turan Gunes, would be in attendance.

Ayata is the “Ayse” referred to by Gunes when he said “let Ayse go on holiday” – the order which was given for the invasion to go ahead.

“On the 50thanniversary of the peace operation, we are going to Cyprus again with Ayse to say, ‘peace at home, peace on the island, peace in the world’,” Ozel said.