A day before elections for a new Turkish Cypriot leader, the head of the self-proclaimed state in the north of the divided island warned Saturday that his likely successor would be committing treason if he did not protect Turkish Cypriot independence.
| That means somebody'll kill him, of course... |
Rauf Denktash, the 81-year-old president and founder of the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, is not running in Sunday's election. But the front-runner, Mehmet Ali Talat, who supports reunification with Greek Cypriots in the south, must swear to protect Turkish Cypriot independence. "Whoever is elected will take the oath of office, which demands that the republic, its independence, its sovereignty will be protected, cherished and improved," Denktash told The Associated Press during an interview in the Turkish-occupied north. "If they don't they will be committing a constitutional offense of treason and this country will not be a peaceful country," |