President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Rauf Denktas has stated that the mission of TRNC's Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat is to preserve the country's independence at all costs. ''Talat should not support nor tolerate any motives that would hurt the independence of Turkish Cypriots,'' said Talat.

President Denktas was in Izmir today (Thursday) to attend a meeting, titled ''Recent Developments Pertaining to Cyprus,'' and sponsored by the Turkish Aegean Young Businessmen Association (EGIAD).

Asked about his opinions related to the recent remarks by Talat that ''Denktas' mission is over,'' Denktas replied that his mission helped the end of colonization in the island (Cyprus) and thus brought Talat to power as TRNC's Prime Minister. ''My mission as the head of  TRNC has taken Turks from a colonial oppression to a position in which
they are independent. Talat should not ever permit any force to  interfere with TRNC's hardly won independence. Talat should not believe in promises made by certain circles on paper. As TRNC's President, I have an obligation to warn my citizens against all
dangers and potential threats from both within and out of TRNC,'' remarked Denktas. ''Nowhere in the world all the suffering, precious lives lost, and hundreds of martyrs can be forgotten and independence can be given up. Things can and definitely will get better for not only Turkey, but Turks in Cyprus as well,'' stressed Denktas.