ANKARA - The summit at the Cankaya Presidential Palace in which Cyprus question was taken up in detail, ended.
The meeting under the chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer lasted for three hours and 15 minutes.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok, and Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul attended the meeting.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal, and National Intelligence Agency (MIT) Undersecretary Senkal Atasagun were also in attendance at the meeting.
The Presidential Press Center has said after the summit held at the Cankaya Presidential Palace on the Cyprus question, ''Turkey will continue to make effective contributions to the United Nations negotiation process in solidarity and co-operation with President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and new TRNC government.''
Releasing a statement after Thursday's meeting under the chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the Presidential Press Center said, ''recent developments in the Cyprus question were taken up at the meeting held with the participation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and high-level civilian and military bureaucrats.''
''During the meeting, it was noted with great satisfaction that the parliamentary elections were held transparently in TRNC on December 14, 2003, in an atmosphere of freedom, peace and democracy. The democratic process has been progressing in TRNC and efforts have been continuing to form the new government,'' it said.
The statement noted, ''during the meeting, a consensus of opinion was reached that launching initiatives for resumption of negotiation process after formation of the new TRNC government would be beneficial. As our public opinion well knows, a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus question is the joint target of Turkey and TRNC. Turkey has been maintaining its support to the good-will mission of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. Also, Turkey affirms its political determination for reaching a solution on the basis of the facts in the island through negotiations.''
''Preparatory works which will assist the Turkish side to assume its attitude in the negotiation process, have been taken to a higher level in coordination among the relevant authorities with great sensitivity required by the issue. The works will be evaluated during the next meeting of the National Security Council (NSC). Turkey will continue to make effective contributions to the United Nations negotiation process in solidarity and co-operation with President Rauf Denktas of TRNC and the new TRNC government,'' the statement added.
(UK-AÖ) 08.01.2004