TASHKENT - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that if a chance to get a result emerged in Cyprus, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would be a country which compromised, and it would not be a country running away from the table.
Erdogan replied to questions of reporters prior to his meetings in Uzbek capital Tashkent.
Prime Minister Erdogan said that TRNC President Rauf Denktas should review his advisers and noted that there were mainly Turkish advisers around Denktas. Noting that Denktas had the same team of advisers for years, Erdogan said, ''they don't bring forth any different point of view.''
Prime Minister Erdogan said that Turkish Republic would explain TRNC President Rauf Denktas and leaders of political parties in TRNC its views and possible formulas.
Erdogan noted that it was not Annan plan which would solely determine Turkey's European Union (EU) accession and said that the process of formation of a government in Cyprus should be seen.
If an agreement was not reached between TRNC and Greek Cypriot side, the Greek Cypriot side could not join EU under the title ''Cyprus'' and TRNC would preserve its existence, Erdogan said.
Erdogan said, ''they want to include them as Cyprus. When TRNC doesn't accept it, how can EU include the Greek Cypriot side as whole Cyprus? TRNC exists there. Moreover, this contradicts with conditions put by EU itself. Furthermore, the Greek Cypriot side will join EU as a country which can't settle these problems.''
Prime Minister Erdogan replied negatively to the question if ''he saw May 1 as an end.''
Asked if it was possible to delay May 1, Erdogan said, ''not delay, but a new date can be set on May 1. But, we wish that this issue will be solved till May 1. And, thus a very important problem before Turkey and EU will be removed.''
Erdogan stated that Turkey approached United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan with good will and continuously said that it should be negotiated.
Two different views in TRNC was given place in the plan, Erdogan said.
Erdogan noted that a consensus of opinion should be reached on the proposed views and said, ''otherwise, problems would continue.''
If people think ten times before they speak from now on, the issue can be negotiated better and a result can be reached, Erdogan said.
Erdogan said, ''if a chance to get a result emerges, TRNC will be a country which compromises instead of being a country which runs away. TRNC should not be the side running away from the negotiation table.''
Asked if TRNC President Denktas would be asked to withdraw from negotiations if he insisted on rejecting Annan plan, Erdogan said, ''this expression is not pleasant and smart.''
Replying to another question, Erdogan said that Turkish Republic had always taken steps to solve the issue and got results and told about recent rapprochement with Greece.
Prime Minister Erdogan said that the Turkish side had good will and it always talked about the solution, adding that ''how will we solve the problem? We always talk about the solution, not the opposite. But if there is no solution, this is not the end of the world.''
Replying to another question, Erdogan said that there was no demand on Turkey's sending soldiers again to Afghanistan, adding that Turkey would send three helicopters to the region to be used only for logistics purpose.
When asked if he would talk about the training of Uzbek pilots to fly F-16 planes with Uzbek President Islam Karimov, Erdogan said that this issue was not on his agenda, but things would become clear in the meeting.
Responding to a question about the trial of Saddam Hussein as a criminal of war, Erdogan said that as a politician he thought that the trial had to be done openly.
When reminded about the discussions in France regarding the acceptance of head scarf as a religious symbol, Erdogan told reporters not to bring this issue onto agenda.
Upon another question, Erdogan said that the details of his planned visit to the U.S. in January became clear and that he would go to that country on January 28.
(BRC-Öª-AÖ) 19.12.2003