NEW YORK - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said on Sunday that preparations started for direct talks on Cyprus issue that would begin on Thursday.
Denktas told A.A correspondent before his departure from New York that the preparations which should be done by Turkish Cypriot side prior to Cyprus talks under the auspices of the United Nations started.
Diplomatic sources said that TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat phoned Lefkosa just after the consensus was reached in New York and wanted preparations to start.
Noting that Turkish side started such intensive activities for the solution for the first time, diplomatic sources said that a modern and vacant building was assigned in Lefkosa for the solution activities of committee.
U.N. officials stressed that the officials, who were appointed to carry on committee activities of Turkish side, would be the sign of determination for solution efforts.
Same sources said that sides would meet under the supervision of U.N. at the residence of U.N. peace keeping force (UNFICYP) representative at Buffer Zone and also the committee activities were expected to be carried on at Ledra Palace.
U.N. sources said that U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto and expert delegation would leave for the island at the beginning of the week and they were expected to start the preparations of the talks that will begin on Thursday.
De Soto will go to Dublin before Cyprus to inform the officials of EU Term President Ireland about Cyprus process and also to Brussels to discuss the quality of technical support which EU officials would provide for the solution.
(GC-AY) 15.02.2004