LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Presidential Office said on Friday that news stories on a TV channel which claimed that TRNC President Rauf Denktas demanded to go to Ankara before the meeting of National Security Council (NSC) was baseless.
Releasing a written statement, TRNC Presidential Office said that Denktas did not make such a demand.
''Following his meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week, President Denktas said that he could go to Ankara before or immediately after the meeting of NSC and stated that this issue would become clear later. Denktas does not have any schedule to go to Ankara at that moment. He did not have such a demand, either,'' the statement noted.
Stating that TRNC's talks with Ankara were made through Turkish Embassy in Lefkosa or by phone, the statement said that Denktas had held a phone conversation with Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul on Friday morning and assessed the situation.
The statement noted that a delegation from Turkish Foreign Ministry would come to TRNC on Sunday to make assessments on Cyprus issue and added, ''meetings will be held with this delegation on Sunday and Monday. There is no other meeting or demand for any visit or schedule.''
(EÖ-UK) 16.01.2004