Denktas: We Are Ready To Discuss Clearing Mines With U.N. Officials

LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas sent on Thursday a letter of United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan and announced that TRNC military authorities were ready to discuss clearing mines from Lefkosa and its vicinity with U.N. officials.
Denktas made a statement in which he said that the proposal to clear mines from the mentioned areas would help safer reciprocal border crossings, create military confidence-building measures to which U.N. attached importance, and contribute to efforts for a comprehensive settlement.
Hoping that the Greek Cypriot side would respond positively to his proposal, Denktas said, ''as it is known, Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot people responded positively and welcomed our move to free reciprocal border crossings as of April 23, 2003.''
Denktas added, ''our proposal to clear mines from Lefkosa and the buffer zone will help safer reciprocal border crossings, create military confidence-building measures to which U.N. attaches importance and contribute to effort for a comprehensive settlement. I hope the Greek Cypriot side will respond positively to our proposal.''
(BRC-AÖ) 24.07.2003