ANKARA - President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said that he did not have any information about a mediator proposal that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Denktas arrived in Ankara on Saturday to hold a series of meetings.
Denktas answered questions of reporters at Ankara's Esenboga Airport.
When asked of Erdogan's proposal to Annan about appointment of a mediator under efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus issue, Denktas said that he heard about such a proposal from reporters at the airport.
Noting that they would discuss also this issue with Prime Minister Erdogan, Denktas said, ''you say that this proposal is being discussed. We don't have any information about it. So it is wrong to comment on it at the moment.''
Denktas said, ''we will exchange views over the Cyprus issue under the decision taken at yesterday's meeting of the National Security Council. Prior to the meeting, the Turkish Cypriot side conveyed its views and concerns to Turkey. The council has taken this decision by taking into consideration our views.''
Pointing out that his scheduled meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer was postponed to Monday, TRNC President Denktas told reporters that he would meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday.
Stating that TRNC Prime Minister Talat and Foreign Minister Denktas would come to Ankara tomorrow, TRNC President Denktas said that a summit meeting was not required.
When asked what he thought about Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Cyprus mediator proposal to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, Denktas said, ''is it mediator or assistant?''
When reporters said Erdogan used word of 'mediator', Denktas said, ''if a mediator will be found, then an agreement should be reached on the meaning of mediation and its conditions. Each method is permissible unless it is based on equality and gives a result that won't allow reoccurrence of the past. And the mediator should not act upon orders and instructions of anybody and he or she take the realities in Cyprus into consideration. However, I don't mean to say that I accept mediation. I heard about it from you. I suppose that I will discuss it with the Prime Minister.''
When reporters said U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell might be appointed as the mediator, Denktas said, ''you say that this issue is being discussed. However, we don't have any information about it. So it is wrong to comment on it at the moment.''
(UK-MS) 24.01.2004