Denktash dismisses Turkish pressure

The UN controls the buffer zone dividing Nicosia

By Tabitha Morgan BBC correspondent in Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash is refusing to sign a United Nations peace plan to reunite Cyprus, despite pressure from Turkey, ahead of next week's talks on the island's future.

Mr Denktash expressed concern the current UN plan will not allow Turkish Cypriots an equal say in the government of the country.

Since the failure of the leaders of Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach agreement on a UN-sponsored settlement at the recent EU summit in Copenhagen, pressure has mounted on Mr Denktash.

At the beginning they thought it would be easy to settle the problem if I gave in on certain points. Now they realise it is not that easy

Rauf Denktash

The Turkish Cypriot leader was widely blamed for his intransigence during negotiations.

Even the new government in Turkey expressed irritation that the Turkish Cypriot leader had not shown more flexibility.

The leader of the governing AK party, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said it was time for new thinking in northern Cyprus.

But Mr Denktash has clearly not been swayed by this unprecedented criticism from Ankara.

Sticking points

"Mr Erdogan is not yet in the government, he is a party leader... he has made a very open statement that there is no difference of opinion between us," Mr Denktash told the BBC.

"At the beginning they thought it would be easy to settle the problem if I gave in on certain points. Now they realise it is not that easy," he added.

Mr Denktash is considered a hardliner

One of the sticking points has been the question of territory, but equally important is the nature of the new state's constitution.

Mr Denktash says the terms of the UN plan are totally unacceptable for Turkish Cypriots.

"We are asked to accept within our territory Greek Cypriots at the rate of so many per year. They will become our citizens, they will start voting with us," he said.

"Therefore what seem equal numbers of members at the senate, 24 Greeks, 24 Turkish Cypriots, is diluted immediately," he added.

Popular dissent

But it seems that the majority of the Turkish Cypriot population do not share their leader's views.

For the first time Mr Denktash is witnessing mass demonstrations against him by Turkish Cypriots.

But neither domestic pressure nor increasing criticism from abroad appear likely to alter the stance of the veteran leader in the forthcoming negotiations.