General Basbug: We Hope That A Solution Will Be Reached In Cyprus Till May Of 2004

ANKARA - General Staff Deputy Chief General Ilker Basbug has said, ''if we consider the Cyprus question as a process, we hope that a solution will be reached in Cyprus till May of 2004.''
General Basbug held a press conference at the General Staff Headquarters on Friday.
Upon a question about the Cyprus question, General Basbug told reporters, ''the works, meetings and exchange of views between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Staff have been continuing as usual. A meeting took place yesterday between Ministry of Foreign Affairs and General Staff officials on the Cyprus question. The process has been continuing between the two institutions. However, it is not appropriate to share the views of the General Staff with media and public opinion for the time being.''
Responding another question, General Basbug said, ''as we said earlier, the Cyprus negotiations are carried out in a process. This process will continue till a solution is reached. If we consider the Cyprus question as a process, we hope that a solution will be reached in Cyprus till May of 2004. There are, of course, some certain stages in this process. The most important of them is the process from today to the resumption of negotiations. This stage has also some phases in itself. The National Security Council (NSC) will convene on January 23, 2004. The first step ahead of us is the meeting of the NSC.''
When asked, ''do you oppose resumption of negotiations on the basis of the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan?'' General Basbug said, ''meetings on the Cyprus question have been continuing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I do not want to give details.''
When asked, ''what will happen if a solution cannot be reached in Cyprus and the European Union does not set a date for opening of accession talks with Turkey?'' General Basbug told reporters, ''the most important thing is to find a solution to the Cyprus question till May of 2004. Our efforts have been continuing to this end. If an objective, fair and lasting solution is targeted to be found, it should be sought in Cyprus itself. Meanwhile, the indispensable points of Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should be determined carefully.''
(UK) 16.01.2004