CYPRUS: Turkish Cypriots, determined to leave the door to reunification open, have called for the resignation of their veteran leader, Mr Rauf Denktash, the architect of partition
Young Turkish Cypriots poured into the streets of the northern sector of the capital after the results of Saturday's referendums were announced and demanded he step down. Before the poll, he said he would resign, "If the Annan plan was accepted ... But it was not, so there is no need for me to do so."
The popular demand for Mr Denktash's resignation was echoed by the Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister, Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, head of the ruling Republic Turkish Party. "We need to have a settlement-minded approach and unfortunately by associating himself with the 'no' campaign in the referendum, President Denktash has no vision of a settlement and maintains his traditional 'no' to a settlement."
He said the Turkish Cypriots could not permit the goodwill they gained on the world scene to be destroyed by anti-reunification rhetoric. Mr Talat said Mr Denktash might remain president if he operated strictly within the constitutional limits of the largely ceremonial role of president.
Mr Mustafa Akinci, the leader of the opposition Peace and Democracy Movement, not only demanded the resignation of Mr Denktash but also called for his son, Mr Serdar Denktash, head of the Democracy Party, to be dismissed from the coalition when he declared the plan's demise after 76 per cent of Greek Cypriots voted no. "The father-son duo cannot remain," he said.
Mr Serdar Denktash retorted: "No party is obliged to stay in the government, but I wonder whether it would be appropriate to create a coalition crisis now." He took the view that the vote was on the UN plan not a vote of confidence in his father.
While the Turkish Justice and Development party distanced itself from the controversy, it is unlikely that Mr Talat would attack Mr Denktash without the party's approval.
In the weeks ahead of the referendums, the Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was highly critical of Mr Denktash's negativism.
France and Russia, permanent members of the UN Security Council, which will decide the fate of the Annan plan, have declared their support for the continuation of UN efforts to achieve a settlement.