LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said on Wednesday that Turkey was determined to solve Cyprus issue till May.
Talat told reporters that he believed positive steps could be taken to settle Cyprus issue as efforts carried out in Turkey and TRNC were united.
TRNC Prime Minister Talat said that the document which would be taken into consideration in assuming an attitude towards Cyprus talks process was being developed.
But, Talat noted, it had not become final yet.
Talat stated that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was expected to call for United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan to resume negotiations following his meetings in Davos and the United States.
Their call for the Secretary General should meet conditions of Annan at great extent and help start talks, Talat said.
Talat pointed out that he and Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul evaluated preparations for solution of Cyprus issue.
Preparations for settlement of the issue continued in Turkey and TRNC, Talat said.
Talat noted that their priority was to start talks.
Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos write a letter to Annan and asked him to start talks, Talat said.
Talat recalled that Papadopoulos could not receive any positive response as his call did not meet conditions of the Secretary General.
''Therefore, our call should meet conditions of the Secretary General and should help start talks. We should be well-prepared and unite our preparations with Turkey,'' Talat said.
Talat guessed that Turkish side could call for Secretary General to start Cyprus talks after Prime Minister Erdogan's meeting with the Secretary General and meetings in the United States.
(BRC) 21.01.2004