Denktas Conveys His Demand Of Clearing Mines In Buffer Zone To U.N.

LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas once more conveyed his demand of clearing mines in buffer zone to the United Nations (U.N).
Denktas invited on Thursday U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's Deputy Special Envoy to Cyprus Zbigniew Wlosowich to TRNC Presidency to convey his demand.
Replying to questions of reporters, Denktas said that he told Wlosowich that they wanted to start clearing mines in buffer zone from Lefkosa and its vicinity because these were places where people crossed the border the most.
Denktas said, ''I invited Wlosowich to say that we are ready to debate clearing mines in buffer zone. They were waiting for an expert. He said that they will hold necessary meetings with two sides as the expert comes and start initiatives.''
Asked if a joint commission would be formed to clear mines and how mines would be cleared, Denktas said, ''firstly experts should come. These are issues to be debated by the two sides.''
When asked the first place which would be cleared off mines, Denktas said that they wanted to firstly clear mines in Lefkosa and its vicinity since these were places where people crossed the border the most.
Denktas noted that Wlosowich asked him questions about his statement on opening Maras to re-settlement under control of the U.N.
He once more stressed in their meeting that it was not possible to motivate Greek Cypriots to reach conciliation after the Greek Cypriot side was considered as ''legal government'' and supported by others and after the Greek Cypriot side was illegally accepted by the European Union (EU) in the name of whole Cyprus, Denktas said.
Denktas pointed out that school problems of Greek Cypriot children living in TRNC and Turkish Cypriot children living in the Greek Cypriot side also came onto agenda in their meeting.
''We want children to be educated with good will,'' Denktas said.
Denktas stated that he told the U.N. official that it would be beneficial if education ministers and undersecretaries of two sides met to discuss the issue.
(BRC-AÖ) 18.09.2003