LEFKOSA - The new negotiation process in Cyprus will start on February 19 in Lefkosa International Airport controlled by U.N.
Technical committees will start to work the same day either in Ledra Palace or in Lefkosa International Airport together with the negotiator delegations. The committees will carry out the technical preparations in three separate issues, namely laws, international agreements and economic issues. Sub-committees will also be formed under the three committees.
U.N. Peace Keeping Force has started works to prepare the airport, which has not been used since 1977, for negotiations, while the TRNC has also started an intensive work with all of its units.
The old Kibris Turk Ticaret Bank's building where Turkish members and experts of the three separate committees which will carry out technical preparations during the negotiation process, is being prepared for the committees. The first three floors of the building are planned to be used for the studies of the committees.
TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat who is in the negotiator delegation with TRNC President Rauf Denktas, visited the building the same day.
Talat said that the committees would carry out studies in three separate issues and a broad working group would be formed by inclusion of sub-committees and experts to them, adding that experts would also be brought from abroad.
Noting that the EU unit founded in the Prime Ministry could also work in that building, Talat said that ''Turkish Foreign Ministry delegation which will be here from time to time and the delegation to be formed of experts can also work here, but this is not definite yet.''
''U.N. should be informed about the names of the Committees' members on Wednesday. In each committee, there will be 8-10 persons and those names will be given to U.N.,'' Talat said.
Talat noted that Presidential Office, Prime Ministry and Foreign Ministry would determine the delegation members till Tuesday; adding that ''we start a very serious and intensive study. We must form teams which will work. There are so many things to do, there are thousands of pages of documents which need to be studied.''
Noting that Turkish delegation that would be in TRNC throughout the negotiation process would work alternately, Talat said that an evaluation meeting with TRNC President Rauf Denktas was not planned for today. He added that they had made an evaluation in New York and while they were coming to TRNC, thus they would not need to hold a meeting today, but an evaluation would be necessary before the negotiations would start.
Talat said that they would inform opposition and Parliament before negotiations, but time table was not cleared yet.
When recalled the criticisms of National Unity Party (UBP) which said, ''also opposition should have had to be ready in New York'', Talat said that their departure was sudden, adding that this process would be carried out together. He said that demands of Dervis Eroglu or any leader on that issue were right and certainly they should have information and contribution continuously. ''Otherwise, we cannot carry on the process successfully,'' he said. He added that they would certainly inform and ask for help of opposition.
Noting that the talks between Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot delegations would start on Thursday at Lefkosa International Airport and the agenda and time table of the talks would be determined in this meeting, Talat said, ''whether talks will be held three times a week or more often will be determined on that day. Perhaps, there will be a difference of method. Everybody cannot participate in all negotiations all the time. I plan to participate in continuously in principle, but process will show how continuously I will attend due to my other tasks.''
Along with U.N. Secretary General's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto who will carry on talks between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot delegations, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen will also come to the island with an accompanying delegation. A delegation from Turkey will also follow the talks in TRNC.
(Öª-GC-AÖ) 16.02.2004