LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos started negotiations on Thursday under the supervision of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's special envoy for Cyprus Alvaro De Soto.
Following the negotiation under the supervision of De Soto at Lefkosa International Airport, Denktas and Papadopoulos will come together with European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen.
Denktas and Papadopoulos will hold a meeting lasting for about half an hour with Verheugen at the airport.
Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot technical committees which were formed within the scope of negotiation process are expected to start their work at Lefkosa International Airport at 3.30 p.m..
At the end of the month, a fourth committee on issues of flag and national anthem will also be added to the technical committees for international agreements, federal laws and economy-finance issues.
Sides are expected to sit at the negotiation table with proposals of change in the plan of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan during negotiations which will be held after the first negotiation on Thursday.
Sources said that Turkish side's proposals for change in the plan focused on sovereignty, bi-zonality, guarantees and making borders straight.
Greek Cypriot side's proposals are expected to be on issues of use of execution, legislation authority, people of Turkish origin, constitutions, economy and Turkey's and Greece's approval of agreement which will be reached in Cyprus before referendum on the island.
Many reporters from Turkey and Greece cover this first step which was taken in the new negotiation process in Cyprus.
(EÖ-AÖ) 19.02.2004